A protest in Dhaka’s Ramna Park area demanding the government increase the age limit for entry into public service to 35 years led to clashes with the police on Monday afternoon.
Demonstrators, primarily young job seekers, attempted to march towards the residence of Interim Government’s Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, resulting in a standoff with law enforcement.
The confrontation escalated around 1:45pm, when hundreds of protesters, who had gathered earlier in the day, pushed through police barricades near the Jamuna, the chief adviser’s residence.
As the demonstrators attempted to move closer to Dr Yunus’ residence, police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as protesters fled in various directions.
In addition to the tear gas, several protesters alleged that police used batons against them. The police, however, maintained that the protesters ignored repeated requests to leave the area, forcing them to take action.
Efforts to reach the officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station for comment were unsuccessful.
Earlier in the day, the protesters had gathered at Dhaka’s Shahbagh, near the National Museum, for a rally that started around 11am. The demonstrators, including students and recent graduates from across the country, called for an increase in the maximum age limit for public service entry from 30 to 35 years.
They cited disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, political instability, and prolonged academic sessions as reasons for many missing the current age limit.
Ilias Kanchan, founder of “Nirapad Sarak Chai,” also voiced his support for the protesters’ demands, standing in solidarity with those affected by the job age limit.
Around 1:30pm, the protesters marched from Shahbagh towards the official residence of Dr Yunus, located in the Ramna Park area, breaking through a police barricade.
Upon reaching the vicinity of the residence, tensions rose as police blocked their further advance. When demonstrators continued to push forward, a scuffle ensued, prompting the police to fire tear gas into the crowd to break up the protest.
