Many Protesters Are Not Genuine Students, Claims Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has asserted that a significant portion of those demonstrating to demand the resignation of the Education Minister are not genuine students or examinees. He made these remarks on Thursday afternoon whilst addressing questions from journalists at the Secretariat, following an event organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Home Minister stated that certain quarters are actively exploiting the situation to cause embarrassment to the government under the guise of a student protest. According to the minister, many of the individuals participating in the street demonstrations are concealing their true identities. He suggested that these elements are attempting to fish in troubled waters by using ongoing student grievances as a shield for ulterior motives.

When asked about the widespread anger among students regarding a controversial comment previously made by the Education Minister, the Home Minister clarified that the matter should be put to rest. He noted that the Education Minister had already expressed formal regret regarding the statement in the National Parliament. Therefore, the government believes there is little room for further debate on this particular issue.

Responding to queries about how the administration views the scale of the ongoing movement, the Home Minister indicated that the authorities are not treating it as a major crisis. He pointed out that the agitations have been highly localised, observed only in one or two districts and a few specific spots within the capital city, Dhaka, involving a limited number of participants. The minister attributed the widespread public discussion surrounding the protests to excessive media coverage rather than the actual scale of the mobilisation on the ground.

Journalists also raised concerns regarding the severe public suffering caused by the blockade of major roads by the protesters. In response, the Home Minister drew attention to past trends, stating that a negative culture of forcing demands through blockades, postponing public examinations, or demanding auto-passes by storming the Secretariat had developed during the tenure of the interim government. He remarked that the current street demonstrations are merely a continuation of that unhelpful legacy, which continues to disrupt civic life.

Addressing recent allegations of police high-handedness during the protests and the circulation of old photographs on social media to fuel outrage, the Home Minister dismissed the claims as calculated disinformation. He emphasised that the actual facts, photographs, and video recordings of the events are readily available to the public. He accused certain groups of intentionally using digital platforms to misinform citizens and create confusion.

Finally, when asked whether the government suspected the involvement of any political parties or banned organisations behind the unrest, the Home Minister issued a stern warning to any hidden provocateurs, stating that whoever might be pulling the strings from behind, the government is fully prepared at the front to maintain law and order.