Protesters have threatened mass suicide by setting themselves on fire if Shariful Hasan Shubho, Dhaka University student and convener of the ongoing protest demanding the age limit for government job entry be raised to 35 years, is not released by the police within an hour.
Shariful Hasan Shubho was detained by the police during job-seekers’ sequential protests on Friday.
Witnesses said that the protesters were marching from the Central Shaheed Minar towards the Shahbagh police station. As the march reached Chobir Haat, police dispersed the protesters.
Later, the protesters held a press conference in front of Raju Memorial Sculpture around 7pm.
They warned of pouring kerosene on themselves and consuming poison as a means of mass suicide if Shubho was not released.
The protesters claimed at the press conference that between 10 to 12 of their members were injured in the police assault, with several reportedly sustaining severe injuries.
The Shahbagh police station officers could not be reached for comment.
The protesters were stationed in front of the Shahbagh police station until the writing of this report.
