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Published : 22 Feb 2025, 06:37 PM
Police have deployed water cannons and stun grenades to break up demonstrations as the Bangladesh Outsourcing Employees’ Welfare Council members are blocking the road outside the National Press Club to demand permanent jobs.
Shahbagh Police Station chief Md Khalid Mansur said the protesters were dispersed around 5:30pm on Saturday.
The blockade, which began at 3pm, halted vehicular movement from the Paltan intersection to Kadam Fountain via the Press Club, causing traffic congestion in surrounding areas.
Md Shahabuddin, an assistant programmer at the Election Commission Secretariat and one of the demonstrators, told bdnews24.com: "Police used rubber bullets, stun grenades, and water cannons to force us away.
“About 13 or 14 of us were injured by the rubber bullets."
He added, “They threw around 10 or 12 stun grenades. Police caused panic among our peaceful members, forcing us to leave.”
OC Khalid told bdnews24.com, “Outsourcing employees caused traffic congestion by blocking the road.
“Police used water cannons and several stun grenades to remove them.”
He also claimed that protesters threw brickbats at police when the water cannons
was used.
Since the fall of the Awami League government through mass protests, members of the outsourcing employees' council have been pressing for the nationalisation of their jobs.
Previously, they staged blockades at the Press Club, Shahbagh, and other locations to highlight their demands.
On Saturday, as they gathered outside the Press Club to block the road, police were seen ready with water cannons.
Some of the protesters lay down or sat on the road as part of the blockade, which lasted for about two and a half hours before police dispersed them.
