The official Emirati news agency WAM reported on Monday that these protests were large-scale marches organized across several streets in the UAE. The demonstrations were in opposition to recent decisions made by the Bangladeshi government. Unauthorised protests are prohibited in the UAE, and its penal code criminalizes actions that offend foreign states or jeopardize diplomatic relations.

The protests by Bangladeshi nationals in the UAE were sparked by unrest that began earlier this month in Bangladesh. Students in Bangladesh have been protesting against a court decision in Dhaka that reinstated a government quota system for civil service jobs, reserving over 50 per cent of these jobs. Among these quotas, 30 per cent are reserved for descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 war of Independence. Protesters are demanding the abolition of these quotas, citing stagnant job growth and high youth unemployment.

The protests in Bangladesh escalated after government crackdowns and attacks on sit-ins by groups linked to the ruling party, presenting a significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who began her fourth term in January. In response to the unrest, the Bangladeshi government imposed a curfew and deployed the army to maintain order and prevent further violence. Monday saw a temporary lull in the violence due to these measures.