Why Ansar uprising could push Bangladesh back to the brink

Bangladesh is no stranger to street protests, but the recent clashes involving members of the Bangladesh Ansar force, or Ansar Bahini, have captured the nation’s attention for all the wrong reasons. On Sunday night, what began as a demand for job security spiralled into violent confrontations near the Bangladesh Secretariat, leaving over 40 people injured, including students, Ansar personnel and even military personnel.

The fallout from these clashes has cast a spotlight on the internal challenges faced by the Ansar force, a key pillar in the country’s security architecture.

New challenge for Bangladesh’s interim government

The ongoing unrest presents a significant challenge for Bangladesh’s interim government led by Mohammad Yunus as the protests by the Ansar force have added a layer of complexity to the government’s already delicate situation. The government is under immense pressure to maintain stability and address the grievances of various sectors.

Mohammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate and former managing director of Grameen Bank, took the helm of the interim government after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina amid growing political tensions and economic challenges. The Ansar force’s demands for job nationalisation and better working conditions have put the government in a precarious position as it seeks to balance the demands of various groups while maintaining law and order. The government’s response to this crisis will likely have far-reaching implications, both politically and socially, as it navigates the complexities of governance during this transitional period.

What sparked the protests?

The discontent among the Ansar members had been brewing for years, but it reached a boiling point on the Wednesday before the clashes. The root of the unrest lies in the precarious working conditions faced by the Ansar personnel, particularly those who are part of the General Ansar division. Unlike the Battalion Ansar and the Village Defence Party (VDP), the General Ansar members are employed on a daily wage basis, earning a modest Tk 540 per day from the offices where they are deployed. This income is barely sufficient to make ends meet, especially given the ‘rest tradition’ that mandates a six-month unpaid leave after every three years of service.

For many, this regulation has meant long periods of financial hardship. The force’s demands were straightforward: job nationalisation and the abolition of the rest tradition. However, these demands, which had been ignored for years, finally led to an eruption of anger and frustration. On Sunday, Ansar personnel gathered outside the National Press Club, a symbolic location for protests and began their march toward the Bangladesh Secretariat. What started as a peaceful rally quickly escalated into a confrontation, with the Ansar members attempting to storm the Secretariat and disrupt the functioning of the government.

Clashes and immediate fallout

The situation took a turn for the worse when the Ansar members were met with resistance from the authorities. Despite a meeting between Ansar representatives and the Home Adviser Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, where promises were made to abolish the rest tradition and review other demands, the protests did not cease. The tensions escalated as Ansar personnel blocked the Secretariat, trapping government officials inside and causing massive traffic jams across the capital Dhaka.

Army troops and police were deployed to the scene to restore order. The army’s involvement underscores the gravity of the situation as they had to fire 27 blank shots to disperse the crowd and regain control of the Secretariat.

The clashes were not just a battle between the Ansar force and the government; students from Dhaka University also became involved after hearing reports of the detention of key student leaders.

Government’s response and legal actions

The government’s response was swift and severe. By Monday afternoon, 109 Ansar members were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly, obstructing police duties and vandalism. A total of 352 members of the force involved in the protests were taken into police custody with more arrests expected as investigations continue. These actions have led to widespread debate about the government’s handling of the situation with many questioning whether the heavy-handed approach was necessary or if it could exacerbate the underlying discontent within the force.

The home ministry, meanwhile, has formed a seven-member committee to review the demands of the Ansar members. This committee is expected to submit its findings in the coming weeks, which will likely include recommendations on how to address the grievances that led to the protests. However, the effectiveness of this committee remains to be seen, as the underlying issues—such as job insecurity, inadequate wages and the controversial rest tradition—are deeply ingrained in the force’s structure.

Role and importance of the Ansar force

Despite its significant contributions, the Ansar force has long struggled with issues of recognition and fair treatment. While the Battalion Ansar members have been included under the National Pay Scale since 2008, gaining entitlements such as family rations and combat uniforms, the General Ansar and VDP members continue to work under less favourable conditions. This disparity has created a sense of injustice among the ranks leading to the current unrest.

The Ansar force came into existence on February 12, 1948, shortly after the partition of India. Originally created to maintain internal security in the then East Bengal, the force quickly became a key player in the region’s security landscape. During the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Ansar members were deployed to defend Bangladesh’s border posts, a role that was later mirrored during the 1971 Liberation War. Despite being disbanded by the Pakistani military rulers during the war, around 40,000 Ansar members joined the fight for independence with many paying the ultimate price.

In the post-independence period, the Ansar force was reconstituted and expanded, incorporating the DP and the Town Defence Party into its ranks. The force was officially recognised as a “disciplined force” under the Ansar Bahini Act, 1995 and the Battalion Ansars Act, 1995.

A wake-up call

The recent unrest within the Ansar force is a wake-up call for the government. The force’s demands for job security and better working conditions are not just about wages—they are about dignity and recognition for a group that has played a crucial role in maintaining Bangladesh’s internal security for decades. As the government moves forward, it must address these demands with sincerity and urgency, ensuring that the Ansar force remains a strong and reliable pillar of the nation’s security apparatus. The stakes are high and the time for action is now.