The Bangladesh Army has imposed a nationwide curfew in response to the deadly unrest that has gripped the country over reservation in government jobs. The clashes between student protestors and police have led to the deaths of at least 105 people, according to news agency AFP.
Meanwhile, around 245 Indian citizens have returned home after crossing through border points in the northeast on Friday as the protests, which have been on for at least three weeks, intensified this week.
In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited the students for talks to find a solution to the issue peacefully. However, given the existing situation, it is not clear whether the students will accept the government’s offer.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the protests were an “internal” matter of Bangladesh. The MEA said 15,000 Indians, including 8,500 students, currently residing in Bangladesh are safe. The government has facilitated the return of 245 Indians, including 125 students.
The student protestors stormed a prison in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi and released hundreds of inmates before setting the facility on fire.
The demonstrators are demanding the Bangladesh government scrap the 30% reservation of government jobs for the families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.
The protest took an ugly turn after agitated demonstrators barged into the country’s state broadcaster and set the facility on fire. On Friday, news television channels and the state broadcaster BTV abruptly went off the air.
The official websites of the central bank, the prime minister’s office, and the police were reportedly hacked by a group identifying itself as “THE R3SISTANC3,” according to news agency Reuters.
The United States also condemned the violence. State department spokesperson Vedant Patel stated, “We need to make sure that any kind of freedom of expression is happening safely and people are free from violence. That’s something we’re continuing to pay close attention to.”
A student protester, Sarwar Tushar, said the protests would continue, AFP reported. “We want the immediate resignation of Sheikh Hasina. The government is responsible for the killings,” he stated.
The protesters stated that the existing job quota system was framed to benefit the supporters of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, which led the independence movement. The demonstrators want it to be replaced with a merit-based system.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for restraint from all parties involved and urged authorities to thoroughly investigate all acts of violence and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.
