UNB, Dhaka :
At least 20 job seekers, including women, were injured in police action to break up their demonstration in Shahbagh demanding an extension of the age limit to apply for government jobs.
The protesters under the banner of ‘Chakri Pratyashi Jubo Projonmo’ gathered at the Shahbagh intersection around 2 pm on Friday to press home their demands, including extension of the age limit to 35 from the existing 30, but police asked them to leave.
As the job seekers did not move, police chased them and charged them with batons to disperse them, said Rezwana Bindu from Jagannath University’s economics department.
Another protester, Azim from Govt. Titumir College, told UNB, “We were peacefully carrying out our program. Around 5.30 pm police attacked us, leaving at least 20 to 25 of our protesters injured.”
“Police also detained one of us, Tanjir, without any allegation,” he added.
Moudut Hawlader, officer in-charge (OC) of Shahbagh police station, said, “We just asked them to leave the road as they blocked the busy intersection causing traffic congestion.”
“We have also detained one,” he confirmed.
Protesting police attack on the program, Tanbir, one of the conveners of today’s programme said, “We are not leaving this place without Tanjir.”
Currently, the protesters are observing a sit-in programme in front of Bangladesh National Museum demanding the release of Tanjir.
