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02-08-2024
DHAKA: Fresh violence has broken out in Bangladesh between police and student protesters demanding justice for victims of recent unrest.
An official in the north-eastern city of Sylhet said demonstrators had attacked police, forcing them to resort to tear gas on Wednesday. Clashes were also reported in the capital Dhaka and other cities.
More than 200 people have been killed in this month’s violence, mostly as a result of police opening fire. Nearly 10,000 people have reportedly been detained.
Photos sent from the southern city of Barisal to media show police in riot gear and wielding batons, barricading demonstrations and taking away protesters, many of whom are women.
Wednesday’s “March for Justice” was called by the Students Against Discrimination movement. They said they were demonstrating against “mass killings, arrests, attacks, and disappearances of students and people”.
Students have been protesting against attempts to reinstate quotas in civil service jobs for relatives of veterans from the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971 for more than three weeks. A third of public sector jobs had been set aside for them, but on 21 July the Supreme Court ruled just 5% of the roles could be reserved. The student movement believes the system is discriminatory and has demanded recruitment based on merit.
Organizers have demanded an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and for six ministers to resign over deadly clashes at the resulting protests.
The government blames the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami party for the unrest. The European Union has postponed talks with Bangladesh on a new co-operation agreement after criticism of the government’s crackdown.
On Tuesday, the bloc’s foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell condemned what he called the use of excessive force against protesters and asked for those responsible to be brought to justice.
The now postponed co-operation deal had been intended to boost economic links between Bangladesh and the EU, the country’s main trading partner.
Anti-government protests have sparked nationwide clashes in Bangladesh between police and university students. At least 150 people have been killed – and some of those caught up in the bloodshed have described to media what happened.
One student said demonstrators in the capital Dhaka just wanted to hold a peaceful rally, but the police “ruined” it by attacking them as they were gathering.
A student leader now recovering in hospital described how he was blindfolded and tortured by people claiming to be police.
Meanwhile, an emergency department doctor said they were overwhelmed as dozens of young people with gunshot wounds were brought in at the height of the clashes.
Security forces are accused of excessive force but the government has blamed political opponents for the unrest, which erupted after quotas were imposed on government jobs. Most of these have now been scrapped on Supreme Court orders.
A nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has restricted the flow of information in the country, where a curfew is being enforced by thousands of soldiers.
Limited connectivity was restored on Tuesday night, with priority given to companies such as banks, technology firms and media outlets. Mobile phones have started pinging with WhatsApp messages between friends and families, but users say the internet is slow, while mobile internet and sites such as Facebook remain suspended. (Int’l News Desk)
