Bangladesh interim govt consulting stakeholders on president's removal

Bangladesh's interim government on Wednesday said it is "consulting all stakeholders" to decide the fate of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, as authorities beefed up security around his residence in the wake of protests demanding his removal over comments that raised questions on self-exiled prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.

Several hundred protesters on Tuesday tried to storm Bangabhaban, the president's official residence, demanding the resignation of Shahabuddin, who in an interview with Bangla daily Manab Jamin last week said he had no documentary evidence of Hasina resigning as prime minister before leaving the country on 5 August.

"The interim government has not made any decision regarding the removal of President Mohammed Shahabuddin from office," chief adviser Muhammad Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.

The interim cabinet is likely to discuss the issue this week, according to the media reports. "We will inform you of any developments regarding the matter," Shafiqul told reporters following a meeting between Yunus and a delegation from Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at the state guesthouse, Jamuna on Wednesday.

Following the attempted breach at the presidential palace late last night and violent clashes with police, authorities imposed a strict security lockdown to prevent further incidents. "We have increased the security of Bangabhaban," Shafiqul told reporters.

In a separate interaction with reporters, information adviser Nahid Islam said a decision regarding President Shahabuddin can be reached through political consensus and national unity, rather than following legal or constitutional procedures.

"There is no need to stage a demonstration in front of Bangabhaban and elsewhere. We got the message of the people and a decision has to be taken through discussion," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The interim government, Islam said, "is consulting all stakeholders, and a decision may be forthcoming after discussion in this regard...Whether the president will remain in office or not is not currently a legal or constitutional question. It is a political decision. To take the decision, we are prioritising stability, security and discipline in the state."

Meanwhile, barbed wire fencing was installed alongside barricades at the main gate of Bangabhaban, while APBN (Armed Police Battalion), BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh), police, and army personnel have been deployed around the area. Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, and riot control vehicles have also been readied in case the protests escalate further, the newspaper reported.

However, tensions remained high as protests continued to surge, with various groups demonstrating outside Bangabhaban since Tuesday. A robust four-layer security cordon was established along the main road leading to Bangabhaban, bolstered by a three-layer barbed wire fence to deter unauthorised access.

Nobel laureate Yunus (84) became the chief adviser to Bangladesh's interim government on 8 August after Hasina fled to India on 5 August amidst student-led mass protests.