ANTANANARIVO: Backers and foes of Madagascar’s cornered government were set to stage rival rallies in the capital Antananarivo Saturday after deadly youth-led protests the president has termed a coup bid.
Inspired by similar movements in Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia, the protests led by an online movement known as Gen Z Mada, have tapped into widespread frustration over poor governance, with demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to step down.
At least 22 people have been killed and hundreds injured, according to the United Nations, a toll the government has denied as based on rumors or misinformation.
The anti-government group is expected to converge in the center of Antananarivo, where a heavy police presence has been deployed and roadblocks set up.
Supporters of the embattled government are also set to rally in the capital for the first time.
Hundreds of government supporters were making their way to the meeting point, the Coliseum — a Roman-inspired amphitheater inaugurated by Rajoelina after he was first installed in power by the military in 2009 following a popular uprising.
In the northern city of Antsiranana, hundreds of students also marched, according to aAFP journalists.
Rajoelina, who has ignored calls to resigns, on Saturday shared footage of a meeting with trade unions.
The 51-year-old former mayor of Antananarivo on Friday said he was ready to listen to find solutions to problems facing the poor island nation.
He condemned what he said was an attempt to topple his government, without naming who was behind the move.
The protests, sparked by public anger over constant water and power cuts, forced Rajoelina to sack his government on Monday but that was not enough to placate the anger.
They started on September 25 and are the latest bout of unrest in Madagascar since it gained independence from France in 1960, posing the most significant challenge to Rajoelina’s tenure since his 2023 re-election.
The Gen Z movement demanded on Friday to be “consulted and heard” in the choice of a new premier and called for an investigation into the police response to the demonstrations.
“We are giving the president 24 hours to respond favorably to these demands,” said the group, vowing to take “all necessary measures.”
Rajoelina first came to power in 2009 following a coup sparked by an uprising that ousted former president Marc Ravalomanana.
Despite its natural resources, Madagascar remains among the world’s poorest countries.
Nearly three-quarters of its population of 32 million were living below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.
Corruption is widespread, with the country ranking 140th out of 180 in Transparency International’s index.
Rival rallies due in Madagascar after deadly Gen Z protests
https://arab.news/w45y2
Rival rallies due in Madagascar after deadly Gen Z protests
- Backers and foes of Madagascar’s cornered government were set to stage rival rallies in the capital Antananarivo Saturday after deadly youth-led protests the president has termed a coup bid.
Saudi ambassador becomes first foreign envoy to meet Bangladesh’s new PM
- Tarique Rahman took oath as PM last week after landslide election win
- Ambassador Abdullah bin Abiyah also meets Bangladesh’s new FM
Dhaka: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Dhaka became on Sunday the first foreign envoy to meet Bangladesh’s new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman since he assumed the country’s top office.
Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party made a landslide win in the Feb. 12 election, securing an absolute majority with 209 seats in the 300-seat parliament.
The son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, he was sworn in as the prime minister last week.
The Saudi government congratulated Rahman on the day he took the oath of office, and the Kingdom’s Ambassador Abdullah bin Abiyah was received by the premier in the Bangladesh Secretariat, where he also met Bangladesh’s new foreign minister.
“Among the ambassadors stationed in Dhaka, this is the first ambassadorial visit with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman since he assumed office,” Saleh Shibli, the prime minister’s press secretary, told Arab News.
“The ambassador conveyed greetings and best wishes to Bangladesh’s prime minister from the king and crown prince of Saudi Arabia … They discussed bilateral matters and ways to strengthen the ties among Muslim countries.”
Rahman’s administration succeeded an interim government that oversaw preparations for the next election following the 2024 student-led uprising, which toppled former leader Sheikh Hasina and ended her Awami League party’s 15-year rule.
New Cabinet members were sworn in during the same ceremony as the prime minister last week.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is a former UN official who served as Bangladesh’s national security adviser during the interim government’s term.
He received Saudi Arabia’s ambassador after the envoy’s meeting with the prime minister.
“The foreign minister expressed appreciation for the Saudi leadership’s role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and across the Muslim Ummah. He also conveyed gratitude for hosting a large number of Bangladeshi workers in the Kingdom and underscored the significant potential for expanding cooperation across trade, investment, energy, and other priority sectors, leveraging the geostrategic positions of both countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The Saudi ambassador expressed his support to the present government and his intention to work with the government to enhance the current bilateral relationship to a comprehensive relationship.”
Around 3.5 million Bangladeshis live and work in Saudi Arabia. They have been joining the Saudi labor market since 1976, when work migration to the Kingdom was established during the rule of the new prime minister’s father.
Bangladeshis are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and the largest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh and send home more than $5 billion in remittances every year.
