Bangladesh Protests: 91 Dead as Call for Hasina's Resignation Intensifies
Protests over a government jobs quota system in Bangladesh have escalated into a broader antigovernment movement demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation. At least 91 people, including 13 police officers, have been killed and dozens more injured as police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse tens of thousands of protesters.
The violence occurred in the capital Dhaka, as well as in the districts of Bogura, Pabna, Rangpur, Magura, Comilla, Barisal, and Feni. An attack on the Enayetpur police station in Sirajganj also resulted in casualties. The identity of the attackers remains unknown.
Protesters, initially students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, have seen their movement turn violent, with 200 people killed since July. Prime Minister Hasina has labeled the demonstrators as criminals, not students, and urged the public to deal with them harshly.
Authorities have blocked internet access and imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew. Over 11,000 people have been arrested in recent weeks. Deaths were reported from at least 11 districts, where protesters clashed with police and activists from the ruling Awami League party.
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury described the situation as "volatile and dangerous," with protesters determined to stay until the government steps down. Clashes between protesters and Awami League supporters have been reported, and a student activist noted ongoing battles with police.
The government has imposed an indefinite curfew and announced a holiday from Monday to Wednesday, with schools and universities closed nationwide. Mobile internet service, Facebook, and messaging apps like WhatsApp have been shut down to prevent further violence.
The protests, which began as a demand to end a quota system that reserved 30% of government jobs for veterans' families, have grown into a wider antigovernment movement. Despite the Supreme Court scaling back the quota system, protests have continued, demanding accountability for government violence.
Critics accuse Hasina's government of using excessive force to suppress the movement. Political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman believes the government is unlikely to resign without bloodshed, noting that peaceful protests turned violent when confronted by ruling party activists.
