Stage set for departure as protesters demands president’s removal

Pressure is mounting to remove President Mohammed Sahabuddin. The matter of discussion is - whether the president will resign on his own or the government will take an initiative in this regard. From the post of president.

The procedure to remove Sahabuddin from the post of president may become clear in the next two-three days.

There were massive protests demanding the resignation of the president in various districts and educational institutions, including the city, on Tuesday.

Protest rally was organised at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital at the leadership of Students Against Discrimination. President Sahabuddin’s resignation was demanded from there within this week.

Several other organisations, including Inquilab Mancha, protested with the same demand at Shahbagh intersection and in front of Bangabhaban on the day.

Apart from Dhaka, protests were also reported from Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Pabna, Tangail, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Meherpur, Narail and Jhenaidah.

The Students Against Discrimination movement also demonstrated in Jahangirnagar and Rajshahi universities with the same demand.

Several hundreds of protesters took position in front of Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president, with different banners Tuesday afternoon demanding the president’s resignation.

The police charged batons and lobbed sound grenades when a section of the demonstrating students tried to break the barricade in front of the Bangabhaban around 8:30 pm.

Later, the army brought the situation under control. The demonstrators left the Bangabhaban area around 2:30 am Wednesday.

With speeches of several advisers of the interim government and protests of students in the last two days, the arrangement has been made for the president’s departure, responsible sources in the government say.

They also said it would be better if the president decides to resign on his own. Otherwise, the government may clear its position within this week.

The students, who led the mass movement that ousted the government of Sheikh Hasina, have been objecting to the retention of the president since the fall of the government, relevant sources say.

However, the government’s policy-making circles took a stand in favour of not taking any decision hastily in this matter, considering the various constitutional obligations.

The sources further said the government and students became aggrieved against president Shahabuddin after his remarks that there is no documentary evidence of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

Some of the demonstrating students suspected that such a sudden statement by the president could be a new conspiracy against the interim government.

Law, justice and parliamentary affairs adviser Asif Nazrul on Monday said in response to a newsperson’s question at his secretariat office, “The president has said that he has not received the resignation letter of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, it is a lie and, this is a violation of his oath.”

Following the law adviser, youth, sports and labour ministry adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, and two of the most important coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah expressed their views on the president’s speech.

Hasnat Abdullah asked president Mohammed Shahabuddin to look for his own path, leaving the luxury of Bangabhaban.

Wishing not to be named, two advisers of the interim government told Prothom Alo that the interim government maintains the stance with what Asif Nazrul has said.

Actually, the opinions of the advisers is - the president should take a decision on his own after the statement of Asif Nazrul. Otherwise, the matter will be discussed in the advisory council’s meeting tomorrow.

Meanwhile, another source in the government said law adviser Asif Nazrul, information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam held a meeting with chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed at the latter’s office on Tuesday afternoon. Some people assume they might have discussed the removal of the president.

Several advisers of the government said the formal and informal meetings of the advisory council discussed several times on whether the president should be removed or not. However, no decision has been made as yet.

Some of the advisers gave their opinions saying that if they retain the president he could create a hazardous situation for the interim government. Some said resignation is the only way left to remove the president as there is no parliament now. And, as per the constitution, the parliament speaker would take charge once the president resigns, but the speaker has already resigned. That is why the government prioritised initiating reforms, normalising law and order situation and curbing the prices of everyday essentials rather than removing the president. But the context has changed now. The government will have to reach a decision.

Wishing not to be named, a responsible member of the advisory council told Prothom Alo that whether the president will resign on his own or not is a big question. There could be pressure from the government but it has been done through various forces in the past. Now the pressure has also been created as the students have taken to the streets. As a result, it seems a clear way has been created for the departure of the president.

A source in Bangabhaban said Tuesday evening that no message has been received from the government regarding the president’s resignation. The president also did not express his decision on the matter after the student protest.

Interim government’s environment, forests and climate change and water resources affairs adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told Prothom Alo many people are considering the president’s statement on Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as betrayal. Some think this is akin to violence of oath of office. This has created grievance among the people. But the government has not decided what it should do in this regard.

She further said demonstrations have been going on demanding the president’s resignation. As a result, there could be discussion in the advisory council meeting on what would be the government’s stance. After that the stance of the government will be announced.