Police used batons to disperse members of the Bangladesh Platform as they attempted to submit a memorandum to Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus regarding the prevention of rape and abuse.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (March 11) in front of the Intercontinental Hotel in Dhaka.
It is reported that around 2:30 pm, the Bangladesh Platform members began a procession from the Anti-Terrorism Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University intending to deliver the memorandum to the Chief Advisor. However, the police stopped them at the Intercontinental Hotel.
This led to a heated argument between the protesters and the police. Eventually, the police baton-charged the protesters twice. When the protesters retaliated by confronting the police, the police responded with another baton charge. Several people from both sides were injured in the clash.
The situation has since calmed down, and the protesters were seen engaging in discussions with the police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner for the Ramna Division, Masud Alam, stated that the protesters were initially headed to the Chief Advisor's office. However, instead of going there, they proceeded toward his residence. Since Section 144 was imposed around the Chief Advisor’s residence, they were stopped in front of the Intercontinental Hotel and instructed to send a small delegation to submit the memorandum.
He also mentioned that the protesters tried to break through the police barricade and attacked a police officer. In response, the police were forced to baton-charge the protesters.
Earlier in the afternoon, the protesters, starting from Dhaka University's Raju Sculpture, marched toward the Jamuna area, shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Home Advisor Jahangir Alam and calling for the establishment of a special tribunal to expedite the trials of rape cases.
