Bangladesh army enforces curfew as student-led protests spiral

AFP / Munir Uz Zaman

Bangladesh soldiers patrolled the deserted streets of Dhaka, on Saturday during a curfew meant to quell deadly student-led protests against government job quotas that have killed at least 105 people this week.

A suspension on internet and text message services has remained in place since Thursday, cutting off Bangladesh from the world as police cracked down on protests that have continued despite a ban on public gatherings.

Overseas telephone calls mostly failed to connect, and the websites of Bangladesh-based media organisations did not update, and their social media handles remained inactive.

In addition to the deaths, the clashes have injured thousands, according to data from hospitals across Bangladesh. The Dhaka Medical College Hospital received 27 dead bodies between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. (1100-1200 GMT) on Friday.

For five days, police have fired tear gas and hurled sound grenades to scatter protesters as demonstrators clashed with security personnel, throwing bricks and igniting vehicles.

The demonstrations - the biggest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected for a fourth successive term this year - have also been fuelled by high unemployment among young people, who make up nearly a fifth of the South Asian nation's 170 million people.

With the death toll climbing and police unable to contain the protests, Hasina's government imposed a national curfew and deployed the military.

The curfew was eased for two hours from noon on Saturday to allow people to shop for supplies and complete other chores, television channels reported. It will last until 10 a.m. (8 a.m. UAE time) on Sunday, when the government will assess the situation and decide the next course of action, the reports added.

TV footage showed that army personnel inspected the identification cards of those venturing out on the streets at different check points.

The nationwide unrest broke out over student anger against the controversial quotas for government jobs, including 30 per cent for the families of those who fought for independence from Pakistan.

Hasina's government had scrapped the quota system in 2018, but a court reinstated it last month. The state appealed against the reinstatement, and the Supreme Court suspended it for a month, pending a hearing on August 7.

In the central Dhaka district of Narsingdi, protesters stormed a jail on Friday and freed over 850 inmates before setting fire to the facility, TV channels reported, citing police. Scattered incidents of arson were also reported on Saturday.

Hasina dropped plans to leave on Sunday for visits to Spain and Brazil due to the protests, the AFP news agency reported citing her press secretary.

Many opposition party leaders, activists and student protesters had been arrested, said Tarique Rahman, the exiled acting chairman of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Police arrested Nahid Islam, a leading coordinator of the students' agitation, at 2 a.m. on Saturday, the protesters said in a text message.

Reuters could not independently confirm the arrests.

International rights groups have criticised the internet suspension and actions of security forces. The European Union said it is deeply concerned by the violence and loss of life.

More from International

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • The Score

    7:00pm - 9:00pm

    Hosted by Chris McHardy, The Score is your comprehensive guide to the world of sport.

  • The Music Mix

    9:00pm - 11:00pm

    Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE

    Dubai’s current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?

  • Noon's First Female Delivery Driver

    Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon’s first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!