Collisions - Student protests in Bangladesh: Lockdown
After Clashes between Demonstrators and the Police during Students' Protests in Bangladesh, the Government imposed a nationwide Curfew. According to Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, the Army was also deployed in the capital Dhaka and other Districts. Since the violence began on Tuesday, over 100 people have died in the protests - at least 56 on Friday, reported BBC Bangla, citing "Prothom Alo" and "The Daily Star" newspapers.
Current reports from local media were unavailable online on Saturday. The Government had largely disconnected Internet, Phone, and SMS connections. The casualty figures were not officially confirmed. The US Embassy in Bangladesh reported hundreds to thousands of injured.
Protests were banned in the capital Dhaka on Friday, according to "Prothom Alo," citing the Police. However, protests still took place. The Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound grenades, reported a correspondent of the German Press Agency on site. Protesters set vehicles, shops, and offices on fire. They also stormed a prison in a district near Dhaka, resulting in many inmates escaping, reported local television.
Student leaders met with Government representatives on Friday night, according to BBC Bangla. However, there was no information about the results of the talks. On Saturday, military personnel were mainly seen on the streets. The website of the Bangladesh Government seemed to have been hacked. It read: "Stop Killing Students" and "It's not a protest anymore, it's a war."
Demand for Performance instead of Quotas
The ongoing demonstrations since early July target the possible reintroduction of an old Quota System. It reserves more than half of the public sector jobs for specific groups - for instance, for descendants of soldiers who fought for the country's independence in 1971, for women, and for people from poor areas.
Thousands of young people, however, demand a system that focuses more on merit. In this country of over 170 million inhabitants, unemployment and inflation are high. On Thursday, the Government signaled its readiness for reform and for talks.
The Quota System is believed to benefit supporters of the long-ruling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League. They are accused of misusing state institutions to consolidate their power. The Government, in turn, accuses a section of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party of instigating the violence during the protests. On Friday afternoon, the Police arrested a key opposition politician, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
- Despite the curfew and internet disconnection, SMS messages continued to circulate among the students in Dhaka, encouraging them to keep protesting against the Quota System.
- The BBC reported on the evening news about the collision between a police van and a group of students during the protests in the heart of Dhaka, resulting in several injuries.
- The Daily Newspapers in Bangladesh heavily covered the politics surrounding the student protests, with some questioning the Government's use of force and others supporting the Quota System.
- The exit restriction imposed by the Government during the curfew caused chaos at the bus stations in Dhaka, as many students were unable to return home after the protests.
- The Head of the Students' Union in Bangladesh appealed to the international community, including BBC World Service, to put pressure on the Government to address the demands of the students and lift the curfew.
