No one should get chance to 'loot' in current situation: Bangladesh's protest coordinators

Dhaka: Bangladesh's anti-discrimination movement coordinators on Monday called on students to ensure that no one gets an opportunity to "loot" in the situation arising in the country after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, urging them to protest peacefully till the desired goal is achieved.

The students' protests in Bangladesh started last month against a controversial job quota scheme and later turned into an anti-government agitation.

Earlier in the day, Army chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced that Hasina had resigned and an interim government was being formed.

He urged protesters to end the violence and vowed "justice" for all the people.

One of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination movement, Nahid Islam, asked students to ensure that no one gets the opportunity to "loot" in the current situation.

In an interview with Bengali-language news channel Channel 24, which was published by the leading Bengali-language newspaper Prothom Alo, Islam said, "We have to protect our national wealth. No one should get a chance to loot on this occasion."

Appealing to the students to sit on the streets peacefully until the desired goal was achieved, he said that their movement's aim was to reform the oppressive system, among other things.

Islam said they want an interim government with the participation of students, teachers, civil society and others, adding that this government will hold power in the hands of people's representatives through elections.

Another coordinator, Sarjis Alam, credited the huge masses of the country for the success of the movement.

He said that the full credit of what has happened today belongs to the people of Bangladesh.

Asserting that enormous masses of Bangladesh have taken to the streets to overthrow fascism, he said that is why the goal has been achieved.

An outline of the interim government's structure will be announced later tonight at the Sark fountain in Karwan Bazar, the coordinators said.

Over 300 people have been killed in the protests against the Hasina government within a fortnight. The protesters demanded an end to the controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's War of Independence in 1971.