Job seekers have blocked the Shahbagh intersection to demand that the minimum age limit for government job applications be raised to 35 years. The protest began with a rally outside the National Museum at 11am on Saturday and by 2pm, the protesters occupied the Shahbagh intersection, demanding that the government revise the recruitment age according to international standards. The job seekers warned they would not leave until a government representative arrived to negotiate and assured them their demand would be met. The protest led to a complete halt in traffic at the intersection. Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convener of Nagorik Oikya, said: “The irregularities in Bangladesh’s public service recruitment system are so extensive that it would fill a dictionary. There are countless instances of temporary appointments, and people can be removed at any time without accountability. There is no scope to take legal action against these practices.” "Our movement isn't just about toppling the government. It is about changing the country and eliminating discrimination. The interim government is trying to handle everything smoothly, and I believe our nation is changing for the better," he added. Job seeker Ahmed Tanjim said, “In nearly 162 countries around the world, the minimum age limit for applying for jobs is 35, with some countries having no upper limit. Bangladesh, however, only allows applications up to the age of 30. In this new Bangladesh, we do not accept this discrimination.” “We have been on the streets since 2pm, and we are not leaving until the demand is fulfilled," he added. Ahmed Kabir, another job seeker, told: "We have been fighting for a long time to raise the job application age limit to 35 based on international standards. This is a logical demand.”

Victims of political discrimination across various government and autonomous bodies over the past 15 years are urgently demanding justice and immediate reinstatement, without bureaucratic delays or obstacles Senior citizens, victims of political discrimination, participated in the Shaheedi March against discrimination on Thursday in the city and shared their demands with THE BANGLADESH EXPRESS, their eyes brimming with tears. These senior citizens had served various government organizations with honesty, sincerity, and dedication for many years. However, after the Awami League (AL) came to power, they faced severe harassment from AL-led management solely due to their differing political ideologies, ultimately leading to their illegal dismissal. The Shaheedi March, marking one month since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was a powerful display of anti-discrimination sentiment. Thousands of students and senior citizens gathered in front of Shaheed Minar, their voices united in a call for justice. Among the thousands of participants, several senior professional journalists, officials and technicians wept openly, while talking to the daily. Their tears a testament to the years of hardship and injustice they had endured. From media outlets such as Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and BTV to research organizations like the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), numerous dedicated professionals were unlawfully dismissed without just cause during the AL regime, in clear violation of established rules and laws. Many of these professionals were renowned for their honesty, sincerity and efficiency but were harassed and removed from their posts simply for holding different political views. For many, the hardship following their dismissal was severe—some lost their livelihoods, while others succumbed to illness or were forced to leave the country. Despite their efficiency and dedication, these officials faced various forms of harassment, including transfers to remote areas, withholding of payments, allowances, and other entitled benefits, before being removed from their positions. Following their dismissals, many endured severe hardships, with some losing their lives or being forced to leave the country. “I was dismissed from BSS, the national news agency under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, without any valid reasons,” said a former senior journalist now working with a foreign news agency with his professional expertise. “They didn’t question my performance but transferred me to remote areas and harassed me in various ways, even when I was very ill.” He also recounted the severe hardships he endured over the past 15 years while struggling to support his family and educate his children. “The current management, however, has assured us that they will take immediate action to ensure justice for us,” he said." Meanwhile, the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), BSS unit, has called for the immediate reinstatement of their dismissed journalists. In a recent letter to the Managing Director and Chief Editor of BSS, they formally submitted their demands. One of the dismissed officials, who worked for Bangladesh Television (BTV), voiced the collective plea of many, saying, “We are now enjoying our second freedom. The first gave us land, and this second freedom promises justice. We urge the new government to reinstate illegally dismissed officials immediately.” A BIDS official added, “Justice delayed is justice denied. We call on the government to reinstate those illegally dismissed as soon as possible, bypassing bureaucratic processes.” These dismissed officials and journalists, who had dedicated decades of their lives to working in various government organisations with integrity and diligence, were dismissed illegally after the Awami League (AL) came to power—targeted solely for their differing political views. “Yet, their tears continue to fall on the land where a new revolution has begun, led by Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. This revolution, driven by the Students Against Discrimination movement, forced AL leader Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country”, said Khorshed Alam, Secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ). He said the victims of discrimination should be reinstated immediately to suitable positions with dignity and full compensation for the suffering they’ve endured over the past 15 years. “We urge the government to reinstate those unlawfully dismissed without delay, bypassing bureaucratic obstacles”. “Justice delayed is justice denied”, the union leader of the journalists said highlighting that some of the affected journalists are nearing retirement within a few months. As Bangladesh enters a new era, the voices of the victims of political discrimination grow louder, demanding justice and the preservation of the freedoms for which so many have sacrificed.

A Pakistani citizen living in Canada was arrested on Wednesday and charged with planning an attack in New York City in support of the Islamic State, the Department of Justice said on Friday. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, is accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn around Oct 7, 2024, nearly one year after Hamas' attack in Israel. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said Khan, who is also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, aimed to kill "as many Jewish people as possible." The Department of Justice was not able to confirm if Khan had obtained legal counsel. Khan attempted to travel from Canada to the United States where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out the attack, according to the indictment. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement Friday they arrested Khan on Wednesday in Ormstown, Quebec, south of Montreal. He is set to appear in court in Montreal on Sept 13. Khan told two undercover law enforcement officers of his plans to create "a real offline cell" of Islamic State supporters to carry out an attack, the indictment alleged. He instructed them to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified specific locations where the attacks would take place. Khan targeted New York City because it has "the largest Jewish population in America," prosecutors said. "We are deeply grateful to our Canadian partners for their critical law enforcement actions in this matter. Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fuelled terrorist attack," Garland said in a statement. Khan faces up to 20 years in prison. Oct 7 would be the first anniversary of an attack by Hamas on Israel that left about 1,200 people dead and triggered an Israeli assault, now in its eleventh month, that has so far killed more than 40,000 people. Communities across North America have since reported increases in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks.