Violent clashes in Bangladesh over job quotas leave six dead, hundreds injured
by Aditi VermaThousands of students armed with sticks and rocks clashed with armed police in Bangladesh as nationwide protests against job quotas escalated, resulting in six more deaths and hundreds of injuries.
The incident took place in Dhaka on July 18.
Visuals showed on the streets, thousands of youths gathered in protest, setting fires and creating a chaotic atmosphere. The scene was filled with smoke rising from burning objects, and people were seen hurling stones at police vehicles. Amidst the turmoil, bodies of those who had died during the protests were kept in a hospital, with grieving family members present and weeping.
In another video, a particularly grim sight was captured: a police van was moving with a dead body lying on top of it, further highlighting the intense and tragic nature of the unrest.
In one of the most significant waves of unrest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s re-election, Bangladesh witnessed violent clashes between students and police over job quotas. On Thursday, Dhaka turned into a battleground as thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks confronted armed police, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, including a bus driver and a student. The death toll from the week’s protests has now reached twelve.
The protests, driven by high youth unemployment, saw demonstrators demanding an end to the government’s policy of reserving 30% of government jobs for the families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Prime Minister Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has so far rejected these demands.
Law Minister Anisul Huq expressed the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue with the protesters, stating, “We are willing to sit (and talk with them). Whenever they want to sit in on the discussion, it will happen.” Despite this, the tension on the streets continued to escalate.
Police resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the protesters near a university campus in Dhaka. In an effort to control the situation, authorities cut some mobile internet services and shut down all public and private universities indefinitely from Wednesday. Riot police and the Border Guard paramilitary force were deployed to university campuses to maintain order.
In Chittagong, the southern port city, students blocked a highway and clashed with police, who fired tear gas to scatter the demonstrators. The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka announced its closure on Thursday and advised its citizens to avoid large gatherings and demonstrations. The Indian embassy issued a similar advisory.
As the protests continue, the government’s response and willingness to engage in dialogue will be crucial in addressing the growing unrest among the nation’s youth.