Almost 100 People Have Died and Hundreds More Have Been Injured in Bangladesh Following a Resurgence of Anti-government Protests

Monday 05 August 2024 - 09:20

Bangladesh is in the midst of a severe crisis as anti-government protests sweep across the nation, leaving widespread devastation. The latest surge of unrest has resulted in a staggering death toll, with reports indicating that nearly 100 individuals, including at least 14 law enforcement officers, have lost their lives. Hundreds more have been injured, marking one of the most violent episodes in the country's recent history.

The premier Bengali-language daily, *Prothom Alo*, reports at least 95 fatalities, while Channel 24 estimates the death count at 85. The discrepancy in figures highlights the chaotic nature of the situation unfolding across Bangladesh.

In response to the escalating violence, the military has imposed an indefinite curfew in the capital, Dhaka, and other key administrative centers. This measure follows earlier curfews imposed by the government in various parts of the country.

The unrest centers around demands for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation. The current protests are an extension of demonstrations that began last month, initially focused on reforms to the government job quota system. Those earlier protests escalated into violence, claiming over 200 lives and setting the stage for the current crisis.

Prime Minister Hasina has taken a firm stance against the protesters, labeling those engaged in destructive acts as criminals rather than students. She has called on the public to confront these elements "with iron hands." The ruling Awami League party suggests that opposition groups, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the banned Jamaat-e-Islami party, have co-opted the protests for their own agenda.

In an effort to control the unrest, the government has implemented several measures. A three-day holiday has been announced, courts have been closed indefinitely, and mobile internet services have been suspended. Popular social media and messaging platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, have been rendered inaccessible. Junior Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat justified these actions as necessary steps to prevent further violence.

The scale of the crackdown is evident in the arrest of at least 11,000 individuals in recent weeks. Educational institutions across the country have been forced to close, and at one point, authorities imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew.

Protesters have called for a "non-cooperation" movement, urging citizens to withhold tax and utility payments and to abstain from work. While offices, banks, and factories remained open on Sunday (a working day in Bangladesh), commuters in major cities faced significant challenges reaching their workplaces.

The demonstrations have turned violent, with protesters targeting various institutions and infrastructure. The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka's Shahbagh area was attacked, with several vehicles set ablaze. Video footage captured scenes of vandalism at a prison van in the chief metropolitan magistrate's court in Dhaka. Other recordings showed law enforcement using live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear gas against the crowds. In retaliation, protesters set fire to vehicles and offices of the ruling party, with some wielding sharp weapons and sticks.

The northwestern district of Sirajganj witnessed one of the deadliest incidents, with 18 fatalities reported, including 13 police officers killed in an attack on a police station. In the eastern district of Cumilla, another officer lost his life. The Feni district in southeast Bangladesh saw five deaths as clashes erupted between the Prime Minister's supporters and protesters.

Violence has spread to over a dozen districts, including Chattogram, Bogura, Magura, Rangpur, Kishoreganj, and Sirajganj, where opposition-backed protesters have engaged in confrontations with police and activists from the ruling Awami League party.

The origins of this unrest trace back to student protests demanding reforms to the government job quota system. In response to earlier demonstrations, the Supreme Court ruled to reduce the veterans' quota from 30% to 5%, with 93% of jobs to be allocated based on merit. Despite the government's acceptance of this decision, protesters have continued to demand accountability for the violence they attribute to the government's use of force.

Prime Minister Hasina's administration has accused opposition parties and their student wings of instigating the violence that has led to the destruction of state-owned establishments. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the main opposition party, has reiterated calls for the government to step down to restore order.

While Hasina has offered to engage in dialogue with student leaders and has promised to investigate the deaths and hold those responsible accountable, protest coordinators have maintained their singular demand for her resignation.

As Bangladesh grapples with this unprecedented crisis, the protests pose a significant challenge to Hasina's 15-year rule. Having secured a fourth consecutive term in a controversial election boycotted by her main opponents, the Prime Minister now faces her most formidable test yet in maintaining control and restoring stability to the nation.