Police foils Shahbagh blockade, ejects protesters

Police yesterday foiled the Shahbagh blockade programme of a group of jobseekers, demanding extension of age limit to 35 from 30 for entering government jobs.

Around 11:00am, law enforcers ejected the agitators from Shahbagh intersection and detained four of them from the spot.

Vehicular movement became normal after law enforcers cleared the intersection.

Earlier, protesters continued their agitation for the second day yesterday but police intercepted them and asked them to leave the intersection.

As protesters did not comply with their request, law enforcers forcefully evicted them from the place.

“This is one of the busiest intersections of the city and there are two hospitals in the area. We asked them to demonstrate peacefully but they did not pay heed to that. We were left with no option but to eject them,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Zone) Azimul Haque told the reporters, adding that none will be allowed to cause public suffering.

He also said the detained demonstrators will be questioned.

Meanwhile, Sanjoy Das, convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Parishad, told journalists that the protesters will announce their next course of action soon.

Five joint conveners of the Parishad were detained by police, he claimed.

On Saturday, some 500 students from different colleges and universities, under the banner of the Parishad, blocked Shahbagh intersection to press home their demand. They remained on the street throughout the night.

In June, a parliamentary committee on public administration had recommended to increase the age limit for entering civil service to 35 years.

It again made the same recommendation on September 10.

Currently, the age limit for entering public service is 30 and the retirement age 59.