Bangladesh Protests: 20+ Dead, Hundreds Injured, 11,000 Arrested
Violence erupted in Bangladesh on Sunday, leading to over 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries as student protesters clashed with police and ruling party activists.
The demonstrators demanded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, following July’s protests against a quota system for government jobs, which had already resulted in over 200 deaths.
In response, authorities closed schools and universities, blocked internet access, and imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew.
Recent weeks saw at least 11,000 arrests. Protesters urged non-cooperation, asking people to avoid paying taxes, utility bills, and attending work. Despite these calls, offices, banks, and factories opened, but commuters in Dhaka faced significant challenges.
Violence included attacks on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka, the torching of vehicles, and confrontations in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, where police used tear gas to disperse crowds. In Munshiganj district, two people died from injuries, while Jamuna TV reported 21 deaths across 11 districts.
The protests, initially focused on the quota system, persisted despite the Supreme Court reducing the quotas. Prime Minister Hasina blamed the opposition for instigating violence. While she offered talks with student leaders, the protesters demanded her resignation, continuing the unrest that challenges Hasina’s long-standing rule.
[…] in Beirut by Israel. These killings have prompted vows of retaliation from Iran and its allies, heightening fears of a broader regional […]