Bangladesh: 80 killed in anti-government protest

At least 80 people were killed in Bangladesh on Sunday, August 4, 2024, during escalating clashes between police and anti-government protesters.

The disorder follows student leaders launching a civil disobedience campaign to demand that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down.

The student protests began last month with a demand to eliminate quotas in civil service jobs.

The protest later metamorphosed into a broader anti-government movement.

A large crowd attacked a police station in Sirajganj, killing thirteen police officers, according to the police.

Police and supporters of the ruling party fired live ammunition at the anti-government protesters.

Police also reportedly used tear gas and rubber bullets. Since the protests started in July, over 270 people have died.

Since 6:00 PM local time, a nationwide overnight curfew has been placed in effect.

Despite calls for Ms. Hasina’s resignation, she remained defiant.

Following a meeting with security chiefs, she described the protesters as “not students, but terrorists aiming to destabilize the nation”.

On Sunday, Law and Justice Minister Anisul Huq stated that authorities were exercising “restraint.”

“If we had not shown restraint, there would have been a bloodbath, I guess our patience has limits,” he added.

In Dhaka, the capital, internet access on mobile devices has been temporarily suspended.

Nationwide reports confirm deaths and injuries, with significant impacts in the northern districts of Bogra, Pabna, and Rangpur.

A policeman, who requested anonymity, told AFP News Agency that ‘the entire city has become a battleground.’

He reported that a crowd of thousands of protesters had set fire to cars and motorcycles outside a hospital.

Asif Mahmud, a prominent leader in the national civil disobedience campaign, urged protesters to march to Dhaka on Monday.

“The time has come for the final protest”, he said.

“Students against discrimination” group

Students against discrimination (SAD) is a group responsible for leading the anti-government protests.

SAD called on people to stop paying taxes and utility bills.

The students have also called for closing all factories and halting public transport.

In the past two weeks, security forces have reportedly detained around 10,000 people, including opposition supporters and students, in a major crackdown.

Several former military personnel, including ex-army chief General Karim Bhuiyan, have voiced support for the student movement.

General Bhuiyan urged the current government to withdraw the armed forces from the streets immediately.

He said: “We call on the incumbent government to withdraw the armed forces from the street immediately.”

He and other former military personnel condemned the “horrific killings, torture, disappearances, and mass arrests.”

The protests challenge Ms. Hasina, who won a fourth consecutive term in the January elections boycotted by the main opposition.

Last month, students protested on the streets against a quota that reserved one-third of civil service jobs for the relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war with Pakistan.

The government reduced most of the quota following a recent ruling, but students are still protesting, calling for justice for those who were killed and injured.

Bangladesh Prime Minister refuses to step down

The students called for Ms. Hasina to step down, but her supporters firmly ruled out her resignation.

Ms. Hasina proposed an open dialogue with the student leaders, expressing her desire to end the violence.

“I want to sit with the agitating students of the movement and listen to them. I want no conflict,” she said.

However, the student protesters have turned down her offer.

Last month, Ms. Hasina called in the military to restore order after protesters set fire to several police stations and government buildings.

General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the Bangladesh army chief, met with junior officers in Dhaka to review the security situation.

He said: “The Bangladesh army has always stood by the people and will continue to do so for the interest of people and in any need of the state,”

Bangladeshi media report that police were responsible for most of the deaths in last month’s protests, with thousands more injured.

The government claims that the police fired only in self-defense and to safeguard state property.

About Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country in South Asia, bordered by India on three sides and Myanmar to the southeast, with the Bay of Bengal to the south.

It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with a population of nearly 170 million people.

The capital city, Dhaka, is the country’s political, financial, and cultural center.

Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a brutal war of liberation.

The country has a rich cultural heritage, with Bengali being the official language.

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