On Wednesday, student protesters had announced a plan to hold a complete nationwide strike on Thursday in reaction to security forces that killed at least six people including four students from across the country following protest for quotas reforms in government jobs. According to the key coordinator of the movement Asif Mahmud, hospitals and emergency services will be opened while all other establishments will be closed only allowing ambulance services.
In its report, the newspaper said that “The movement calls upon students from all educational institutions and urges guardians to come out in support of their cause.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh apologised for the violence over student protests in a national address on Wednesday when she announced that there would be a committee to conduct the investigations judicially.
Hasina told demonstrators “I know all your demands are pending with the highest court of this land but please have confidence on it,”
“I believe our students will get justice (in the apex court). They will not be disappointed,” she said in an unscheduled nationwide address a day after six people were killed as the protest spread in major cities across the country on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday.
While appearing live on television donning black saree coinciding with Muslim mourning day of “Ashura” which is also a public holiday in Bangladesh, casualties during student protests were termed by her as “very saddening and unfortunate” adding “for no justified reason some valuable lives were lost.”
She announced judicial inquiry into killings stating,” I shall extend my support whatever help they may need from me; I do apologize for them.”
“The premier added, “I solemnly declare that those who commit murders, looting and terrorist acts or whoever is involved shall be properly punished” Hasina however blamed “some vested quarters” for provoking violence saying that protesting students did not engage in “terrorist acts” asking them not fall victim to miscreants amid such incidents.
Public universities private ones such as schools and colleges across Bangladesh were closed indefinitely on Tuesday night with residential students asked to leave campuses due to violence.
Media outlets reported that four of the deceased were students, while two were small traders. Among them, two died in the capital Dhaka, three in the southeastern port city of Chattogram and one in northwestern Rangpur.
The first incident occurred at northwestern Rangpur University when a second-year student was shot dead by police during a protest on Monday.
“He stood there alone with his arms out wide before suddenly being shot by an officer,” said a newspaper. “He tried to get back to [other] protesters but collapsed within minutes.”
However, media reports and witnesses said that on Wednesday, several protesters were injured as they clashed with alleged ruling Awami League’s student activists and police force.
According to them, rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and sound grenades are being used by the police against protesters on Dhaka University campus, Jahangirnagar University just outside the capital as well as Rajshahi University which is located in the Northwest part of Bangladesh.
Despite the premier’s plea, the protestors declared to continue with their protests through their coordinator Asif Mahmud and said on Thursday the country will be completely closed.
He said that they had chosen to demonstrate against “the shootings, beatings of demonstrators and others” by police, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Swat unit of police.
“Only hospitals and emergency services will operate. There will be no other vehicle on the road apart from ambulances. I want to request students of all schools, colleges, universities, private universities and Madrasahs to come together so as to make tomorrow’s program a success,” he wrote in a Facebook status update.
There is five per cent quota for government jobs under the prevailing quota system with 30 reserved for descendants of 1971 Liberation War freedom fighters; 10% for backward administrative districts; 10% for women candidates; 5% for ethnic minority groups; one percent for handicapped people.
Almost four hundred thousand graduates are only given access to about three thousand government jobs annually.
The protesters have been demanding reforming this system alleging it has barred entry of meritorious students into Class-I and Class-II govt jobs.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk on Wednesday called on Bangladeshi authorities to engage with protesting students urging them that “all incidents involving violence or use of force especially resulting in death must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.”
In his tweet on X handle says freedom of speech and assembly are universal human rights.
His comments came after Amnesty International called upon Bangladesh authorities “to immediately ensure safety of all peaceful protestors” while US state department also condemned “violence against peaceful protestors” which led to a backlash from foreign ministry of Bangladesh.
The protesters’ actions were almost similar when they pushed for quotas removal thus describing them as “reforms,” as the government initially “abolished” the quota system, only for it to be restored recently by a high court division bench forcing the issue into the apex appellate division of the Supreme Court.
However last week, the Appellate Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court stayed for four weeks the High Court’s order while the Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan asked students protesting to return back to classes, with a promise of giving a judgment within four weeks.
Authorities at Bangladesh’s prime Dhaka University declared an uncertain closure of this institution on Wednesday.
The students have been ordered to leave their dorms by nightfall on Wednesday.
This decision was made during an emergency meeting of syndicate at vice chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal office quoted pro-VC (academic) professor Sitesh C Bachar as saying according to Dhaka Tribune.
“The university will remain closed indefinitely and halls will be evacuated taking into consideration student safety,” Bachar told The Daily Star.
But in another report, it was said that students crowded around VC’s house demanding his resignation.
