Over 100 dead in student protests against quota policy in Bangladesh
**During the student protests in Bangladesh, over a hundred people have died nationwide this week according to AFP reports based on hospital data. The protests, which have been going on for weeks, turned violent recently. On Friday evening, the government announced a nationwide curfew and the deployment of military.
In Narsingdi, in the center of the country, students stormed a prison according to police reports on Friday and freed the inmates. A police officer told AFP that "probably several hundred prisoners were freed." Afterwards, the demonstrators set the prison on fire. In the capital Dhaka, the police issued a city-wide ban on all political demonstrations on Friday to quell the unrest. "We have banned all demonstrations, marches, and public gatherings in Dhaka today," said Police Chief Habibur Rahman. This is necessary, he added, to ensure "public safety." The internet was also blocked.
Despite this, clashes between students and security forces continued in the city with around 20 million inhabitants. "Our protest will continue," said Sarwar Tushar, who was injured during the violent dispersal of a demonstration by the police. "We demand the immediate resignation of Sheikh Hasina, the government is responsible for these murders," he declared, looking at the Minister-President, who has ruled the country autocratically for the past 15 years.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk condemned the violent suppression of the protests as "shocking and unacceptable." "The attacks must be investigated impartially, quickly, and thoroughly, and the perpetrators held accountable," Turk said. He called on the security forces to ensure that any use of force is in line with international law.
Students in Bangladesh have been protesting for weeks almost daily against the government's quota system, which reserves more than half of the well-paid public sector jobs for certain population groups. According to critics, the quotas benefit the supporters of the 76-year-old Hasina, who was re-elected for a fourth term in January in an election with almost no opposition. The students demand a merit-based system instead of quotas for job allocation.
- Amidst the ongoing student protests in Bangladesh, the government imposed an exit restriction on students, preventing them from leaving the country, as a part of their efforts to control the situation.
- During the student protests, many protesters were seen carrying bags filled with essentials, indicating their preparations for a prolonged stay as they continued their demonstrations.
- Following the violent suppression of student protests and the resulting international criticism, the Quote Politics of Bangladesh's government, led by Sheikh Hasina, faced more scrutiny and calls for reforms in their quota system.
