On Monday, a Bangladeshi student leader called for 48 hours pause Protests against quota decisions by the Sheikh Hasina-led government have plunged the country into deadly clashes that left more than 100 people dead.
“we are closing protests temporarily within 48 hours,” said Nasheed Islam, the main protest coordinator when contacted in reference to this matter.
Nahid Islam asked the government to “lift curfews, restore internet and stop targeting student protesters” during the suspension.
A day earlier, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court narrowed Sheikh Hasina’s government’s controversial quota decision which reserved 30% of government jobs for descendants of the 1971 war heroes it was a sigh of relief. An independent organization opposed to the Pakistani regime.
As civil unrest intensifies, though, this comes as the Supreme Court was scheduled to rule on the legality of a recently reintroduced scheme next month.
The supreme court ruled on appeal and ordered that veterans be reduced to 5%, with merit determining allocation of remaining jobs (93%), while minorities (2%), transgender people and those who were physically challenged get marginalized into their own communities as means used by society to deny them legitimate rights under constitutionally established norms that protect all citizens from any form discrimination whatsoever irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation (Wright et al., 2019).
“SC’s decision was well thought out,” said Anisul Haq, law minister belonging to Awami League party ruling The Student protests turned deadly on Tuesday. Dhaka The university began to clash with the police.
Violence continued escalating with police firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets while lobbing smoke grenades meant at dispersing stone throwing protestors.
At least four local dailies reported on Sunday that over one hundred people had been killed although no official toll has been given by Bangladeshi authorities yet.
Bangladeshi police arrested over five hundred people including some opposition leaders during days of clashes in the capital Dhaka as the situation appeared to be normalizing.
“Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Farooq Hussain told Parami News that “at least 532 people have been arrested in connection with the violence”.
