Clashes broke out in Bangladesh after several hundred people protested outside the Bangladesh national Parliament complex over the interim government’s new political charter on Friday. Police dispersed the protesters with teargas and used stun grenades and batons. The protesters expressed anger over the new charter, which, according to them, does not address their concerns.

The clashes broke out between protesters who ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July last year and the police. Some protesters vandalised police cars and makeshift tents while others clashed with soldiers and security officials in Dhaka. Several people were injured in the incident, news agency AP reported, citing witnesses.

The incident occurred shortly after 1 pm at the signing ceremony of the July charter at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. Police fired teargas and used stun grenades and batons to disperse protesters outside Bangladesh’s national Parliament complex on Friday, as tensions soared over the interim government’s new political charter.

Also read: ‘India’s specialty’: Bangladesh’s Yunus has a ‘fake news’ denial on anti-Hindu violence | Watch

The clashes broke out after several hundred people, who described themselves as those whose protests ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, started demonstrating. The protestors expressed their dissatisfaction towards the new charter, which does not address their concerns despite their loved ones dying in the mass uprising last year against Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier on Thursday night, a protest was organised when hundreds of people gathered near Gate 12 of the Parliament complex under the banner of July Martyrs’ Families and Injured Fighters. At one point, the protesters reportedly entered the premises and occupied guest chairs in front of the stage while chanting slogans, news outlet Dhaka Tribune reported. The protests continued on Friday outside the premises as police tried to disperse the crowd.

Meanwhile, the main political parties were invited by the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammed Yunus to sign the new charter on Friday, paving the way for political reform in the country.

The “July National Charter”, named after the uprisings that began in the country in July 2024, outlines the strategy for constitutional amendments, legal changes and the enactment of new laws. A National Consensus Commission formed by the Yunus government prepared the charter after a series of talks with the major political parties, except Hasina’s Awami League party.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight like-minded parties said they would sign the charter.

Haisna, who was ousted last August, remains in exile in India and is being tried in absentia on the charges of crimes against humanity. Yunus earlier promised to hold an election in February, but the question remains whether the election will be inclusive without Hasina’s party and its allies in the race.

Some parties also remained undecided about signing the charter, like the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami. While a newly-formed student-led party, the National Citizen Party, said it would not take part.