Bangladesh (Commonwealth Union)_ On Sunday, Bangladesh witnessed a resurgence of anti-government protests that have left nearly 100 people dead and hundreds more injured. Accordingly, the violent demonstrations are primarily driven by widespread discontent with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. Protesters are calling for her resignation, while Hasina has accused them of sabotage and responded by cutting off mobile internet services to curb the unrest. According to Bangladesh’s leading media sources, at least 95 people, including 14 police officers, have been killed in the recent clashes.
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The violence in Bangladesh erupted following a series of protests that began last month with students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs. The demonstrations had previously resulted in over 200 deaths. In response to the escalating violence in Bangladesh, the military has imposed a new, indefinite curfew starting Sunday evening across major cities, including the capital, Dhaka. This move follows an earlier, less restrictive curfew in Bangladesh. The government also announced a holiday from Monday to Wednesday, with courts closed indefinitely. Additionally, mobile internet services, along with access to Facebook and messaging apps like WhatsApp, have been suspended in an effort to reduce the spread of information and prevent further violence, according to Junior Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat.
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The recent Bangladesh protests have been marked by severe clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. Protesters have attacked various public institutions, including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka, where several vehicles were set on fire. In Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, violent confrontations led to the deployment of tear gas by police, as well as the vandalization of homes and community offices. Some incidents involved crude bomb explosions and gunfire, resulting in at least 20 people being hit by bullets in the area.
The unrest has also spread to other districts, including Sirajganj, where 18 people were killed, including 13 police officers, following an attack on a police station. Additionally, five people lost their lives in the Feni district after clashes between Hasina’s supporters and protesters. In Munshiganj, four people died after being transported to a local hospital. Furthermore, the violence in Bangladesh also extended across more than a dozen districts, including Chattogram, Bogura, Magura, Rangpur, Kishoreganj, and Sirajganj, with continuous confrontations between protesters, police, and ruling party activists.
The roots of the current unrest can be traced back to a quota system that reserved 30% of government jobs for the families of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan. Although the Supreme Court recently ruled to reduce this quota to 5%, with 93% of jobs allocated on merit and 2% for ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled individuals, protesters continue to demand further action and accountability. They argue that the government’s handling of the protests, marked by violence and suppression, underscores a broader issue of misgovernance. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has labeled the protesters who engage in violent activities as criminals rather than students. She has urged the public to address these individuals with strict measures.
Additionally, Hasina’s ruling Awami League party has accused the main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the now-banned Jamaat-e-Islami party of orchestrating the protests to destabilize the government. In the face of these challenges, Hasina has pledged to investigate the deaths and punish those responsible for the violence. Despite this, the political situation remains tense, with the Bangladesh protests posing a significant challenge to her administration, which has been in power for over 15 years. Hasina, who secured her fourth consecutive term in January’s controversial election, continues to face intense scrutiny and opposition both from within the country and internationally.
As Bangladesh navigates this crisis, the international community watches closely, concerned about the potential for further escalation and the implications for the country’s stability and democratic processes. Accordingly, on Sunday night, India issued a strong advisory urging its nationals currently in Bangladesh to exercise extreme caution and limit their movements due to recent outbreaks of violence in the neighboring country. The travel advisory also advised against any travel to Bangladesh until further notice. The unrest in Bangladesh began last month with students protesting against a contentious job quota scheme and has since escalated into broader anti-government demonstrations. Furthermore, on July 25, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that approximately 6,700 Indian students had returned from Bangladesh due to the deteriorating situation.
