Philippines’ DFA calls for peaceful transition in Bangladesh after protests
THE PHILIPPINES on Tuesday called for a peaceful and orderly transition of power in Bangladesh after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina quit at the weekend after weeks of violent street protests.
“The Philippines conveys its solidarity with the people of Bangladesh and commits to efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in Bangladesh,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
It said the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka is ready to help Filipinos based in the South Asian country.
Last week, the DFA placed Bangladesh under Alert Level 1 amid the protests, calling for Filipinos in the country to stay indoors and to keep an eye on the situation.
There are about 700 Filipinos in Bangladesh, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita C. Daza told reporters in a Viber message.
The prime minister fled to India after Bangladeshis protested a quota system for government jobs that reserved a third of posts for the descendants of those who participated in the country’s 1971 liberation movement.
Bangladesh’s High Court reinstated the rule in June, which also reserved 56% of state jobs for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters, women and people from “backward districts,” Al Jazeera reported.
At least 41 people died, while 200 others were hurt in the protests, according to the Associated Press. — John Victor D. Ordoñez