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Dhaka: Police in Bangladesh’s capital fired tear gas to disperse supporters of the main opposition party who threw stones at security forces during a massive rally demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the transfer of power to a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee general elections next year.

At least one policeman died and dozens of others were injured, alongside scores of opposition supporters, police and witnesses said.

Dhaka police spokesman Faruk Hossain told The Associated Press that violence late Saturday raged in at least 10 spots in Dhaka, where security forces confronted opposition activists who attacked them, vandalized vehicles and torched vehicles.

An opposition spokesman, Zahiruddin Swapan, said more than 1m activists joined their rally, but Hossain put the number at about 200,000.

The violence broke out at the Kakrail area in Dhaka when activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia allegedly attacked a bus carrying the ruling Awami League’s members to a separate rally a few blocks away, witnesses and media reports said.

Footage on Somoy TV station showed a roadside police box was on fire, torched vehicles and shattered glass from a building. Violence spread by Saturday afternoon as security officials fired sound grenades and tear gas at the rally venue where Zia’s supporters chanted anti-government slogans.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of Zia’s party, announced a daylong general strike across the country on Sunday, accusing security forces of ruining a “peaceful” rally.

“Our rally was peaceful. But the authorities have used excessive force to ruin our rally. They attacked our people mercilessly,” Swapan said.

Ekattor TV station reported that a police hospital also was attacked. An Associated Press team at the scene said that violence had spread in the area and many people took cover in nearby alleys.

The ruling party had earlier warned that any attempt to trigger violence would be met with force.

Authorities deployed about 10,000 police while paramilitary border guards were also seen near the opposition’s rally site.

In the southeastern district of Chattogram, Hasina criticized the opposition for holding the rally, saying that Zia’s party was attempting to derail her government’s development agenda.

“Today BNP (Zia’s party) wants to oust the government. They are giving various types of threats to launch a movement ... No threat will work,” she told a huge rally at Anwara in Chattogram, where she inaugurated a Chinese-built underwater tunnel.

The opposition says it is attempting a final push to remove Hasina as the Election Commission prepares to announce the country’s 12th national election, expected to be held in January.

The rivalry between Hasina and Zia has been ongoing for decades, and Hasina’s government has been under pressure for months as the opposition has held largely peaceful anti-government demonstrations.

Alamgir, secretary-general of Zia’s party, said it would continue to push for the resignation of Hasina's administration and the installation of a caretaker government.

“We don’t trust this government. They must go first to hold a free and fair election. Otherwise they would rig the election,” he said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Hasina hopes to return to power for a fourth consecutive term and says the election should be held under her government’s supervision as specified in the constitution.

The US State Department said in September it was taking steps to impose visa restrictions on individuals responsible for undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh. They include members of law enforcement, the ruling party and the opposition.

The Biden administration has made the push for free and fair elections in Bangladesh “a prime focus of its democracy promotion policy abroad,” said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center.

The imposition of visa restrictions followed previous measures including restrictions on the country’s elite anti-crime force. Rights groups and the US say the force, which has been credited for effectively handling Islamist militancy in the country, is responsible for many enforced disappearances of government critics and opposition activists. The restrictions have resulted in a decrease in the number of deaths in so-called “cross-fire” incidents in recent months, media reports said.

Rights groups and the US also criticized the government for enacting a controversial cybersecurity law, saying it is designed to silence critics and the opposition, an allegation authorities deny. Critics have also slammed the recent jailing and subsequent release on bail of two Bangladeshi rights activists.

Hasina recently told parliament that the US wants to remove her from power at any cost. But the opposition and critics have welcomed the move by the US, which is the largest importer of Bangladesh’s garment products.

Reactions to the US move in Bangladesh have broken down along partisan lines, Kugelman said. Hasina’s administration slammed it as “meddling” while many critics welcomed it, saying they hope it will push back against what they view as Hasina’s growing authoritarianism.

Recent elections in Bangladesh, especially the last one in 2018, were widely believed by the West to be flawed. The Awami League party doesn’t have a good track record of overseeing free and fair elections since Hasina returned to power in 2008.

Kugelman said the government and opposition “are on a collision course” and that “there’s a good chance we could see an election with no opposition participation.”

AP

Kathmandu: The newly-appointed Secretary-General of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Golam Sarwar, has assumed office. He began his duties last Tuesday following approval by the SAARC Council of Ministers, as announced by the Kathmandu-based SAARC Secretariat today. 

Ambassador Golam Sarwar is the 15th Secretary-General of SAARC and the third to hail from the Government of Bangladesh.

As a career diplomat, Ambassador Sarwar has served in various capacities both domestically and internationally. Before this assignment, he served as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Malaysia, the Sultanate of Oman, and Sweden, concurrently accredited to Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

Throughout his extensive diplomatic career, Ambassador Sarwar has represented Bangladesh on numerous occasions in various regional and international forums.

Born in July 1966, Ambassador Sarwar holds a Master of Commerce/Business Degree from the University of Dhaka and has received advanced diplomatic training in Germany.

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed hope that the upcoming visit of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Nepal would help enhance Nepal’s reputation globally. Speaking at a festival reception organized today by the Nepali Congress at the party central office in Sanepa on the occasion of Kojagrat Purnima, the Prime Minister highlighted the significance of the visit in addressing the needs of Nepali citizens.

During his Nepal visit, the UN Secretary-General is expected to address issues related to climate change, Nepal’s peace process, and its economic development goals, according to the Prime Minister. He also said that Nepal would welcome the Emir of Qatar just after the UN Secretary-General’s visit, noting that these high-level visits reflect Nepal’s successful diplomacy. 

The UN Secretary-General’s visit to Nepal is scheduled to take place from Oct 29 to Nov 1, at an invitation from the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister highlighted that such festival receptions not only contribute to promoting unity in the political sphere but also lead the nation toward political stability. 

He extended his best wishes to NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, party leaders, and cadres on the occasions of Dashain, Tihar, Nepal Sambat, and Chhath festivals.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the festival reception tradition initiated by NC leader BP Koirala, which has been observed annually on Kojagrat Purnima, the last day of the Dashain festival, since the year 2034 BS, has its role in promoting political understanding and goodwill.

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the main opposition leader, CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, had a meeting on Friday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar. They discussed two important issues: the upcoming visit of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Nepal and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Bill.

Guterres is scheduled to visit Nepal on Oct 29 and will address a joint meeting of the Federal Parliament on Oct 31. Prime Minister Dahal aims to pass the transitional justice bill before Guterres’ arrival, but this requires the support of the main opposition. 

While there is agreement on most aspects of the bill, the major point of contention is the provision granting immunity to individuals accused of murder, considering murder as a human rights violation. The government is attempting to address issues related to murder through reconciliation. They plan to reclassify murder as a human rights violation rather than a serious crime, which has the support of the Congress and Maoists in the ruling coalition. However, UML has not accepted this change.

UML whip Mahesh Bartaula says they are open to reaching an agreement on the bill before the UN Secretary-General’s visit, but he accuses the government of creating tension instead of cooperation. “Prime Minister Dahal’s decision to grant a holiday on People’s War Day contributes to this tension,” he says.

A sub-committee under the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee has prepared a report on amending the ‘Bill to amend the Commission for Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act’ through consensus over the past month and a half. Bartaula, a member of the sub-committee, says most issues have been resolved, except for the topic of reconciliation in cases of serious incidents like murder.

UML’s stance is to not use reconciliation to absolve individuals of murder except in cases of double confrontations. They argue that such cases should be prosecuted. 

The issue of child soldiers during the armed conflict is another concern. While an agreement refers to these children as “connected parties of the conflict”, UML believes this issue is being unnecessarily prolonged for political reasons and calls for additional discussions.

Chair of the Human Rights Committee and CPN (Maoist Center) leader Bimala Subedi expressed optimism that the bill will move forward, emphasizing the need for consensus to resolve this sensitive issue. She highlighted the importance of political-level consensus, as it’s a long-standing matter. 

Four issues remain to be discussed within the committee, and Subedi believes that a positive environment for resolution is now present, especially following the meeting between the Prime Minister and the main opposition leader. 

Prime Minister Dahal had previously attempted to pass this bill in time he went to the United Nations General Assembly—to no avail.