Bangladesh: 1) Information on the student demonstration that took place on 14 December 1990 in Dhaka and on the consequences for participants; 2) Information on whether Mohammad Hussain Ershad was still in power on that date; 3) Information on who (Ershad supporters or others) suffered the most as an aftermath of the demonstration

Publisher	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Author	Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada
Publication Date	1 August 1992
Citation / Document Symbol	BGD11486
Cite as	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bangladesh: 1) Information on the student demonstration that took place on 14 December 1990 in Dhaka and on the consequences for participants; 2) Information on whether Mohammad Hussain Ershad was still in power on that date; 3) Information on who (Ershad supporters or others) suffered the most as an aftermath of the demonstration, 1 August 1992, BGD11486, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab3478.html [accessed 17 September 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

1) Information on the 14 December 1990 demonstration in Dhaka is currently unavailable to the IRBDC in Ottawa. However, the months of October, November and December 1990 were marked by numerous and almost daily demonstrations leading to the resignation and arrest of Former President Hussain Ershad (Far Eastern Economic Review 27 Dec. 1990a-b-c, 12-15). The students were particularly successful in organizing protests throughout the country, especially in Dhaka (Ibid. a, 12-13). During the demonstrations, students were killed and others arrested (Los Angeles Times 16 Dec. 1990).

Following Ershad's resignation from power on 6 December 1990, students and other protestors demonstrated in the streets of Dhaka to demand his arrest and trial (The Toronto Star 11 Dec. 1990). Demonstrators marched outside Dhaka University with portraits of those who were killed during the two month protests that led to Ershad's overthrow (Los Angeles Times 16 Dec. 1990). At the end of December 1990, demonstrations turned violent when groups of students (Ershad supporters and opponents) started attacking each other (UPI 23 Dec. 1990; Reuters 24 Dec. 1990; The Toronto Star 24 Dec. 1990).

2) Former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad resigned on 6 December 1990 following a wave of protest against his rule (The Christian Science Monitor 13 Dec. 1990). However, he was arrested only on 12 December 1990 (Ibid.).

3) The IRBDC in Ottawa cannot comment on who suffered the most as an aftermath of the December 1990 demonstrations in Bangladesh. However, please consult the attached documents, particularly an article from Far Eastern Economic Review that explains the military partial and provisional takeover of the country's administration before the March 1991 elections that brought the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to power (27 Dec. 1990a-b-c, 12-15).

References

The Christian Science Monitor [Boston]. 13 December 1990. Arshad Mahmud and Sheila Tefft. "Bangladesh, in Uneasy Transition, Looks to Elections." (NEXIS)

Far Eastern Economic Review [Hong Kong]. 27 December 1990a. V.G. Kulkarni. "Second Shot at Freedom," pp. 12-13.

. 27 December 1990b. V.G. Kulkarni. "Student Power," pp. 12-13.

. 27 December 1990c. V.G. Kulkarni. "Armed Neutrality," p. 14-15.

The Los Angeles Times. 16 December 1990. Mark Fineman. "In Bangladesh, an Anti-Ershad Tide." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 24 December 1990. "One Killed in Fight Between Bangladesh's Student Groups." (NEXIS)

The Toronto Star. 24 December 1990. "Bangladeshi Protest Turns Violent." (NEXIS)

. 11 December 1990. "Bangladeshi Students Seek Ershad's Arres." (NEXIS)

United Press International (UPI). 23 December 1990. Alamgir Mohiuddin. "University Youths Clash in Bangladesh." (NEXIS)

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