[VIDEOS] Bangladesh army chief confirms PM Hasina’s resignation [Update at Post#189]

[The Bald Eagle]

At least 100 wounded as Bangladesh students protest government job quotas​

The quota system reserves more than half of well-paid civil service posts, totalling hundreds of thousands of government jobs, for specific groups, including children of fighters in the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Critics say the system benefits children of pro-government groups who back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive term in a general election in January that was boycotted by the sh sparks backlash for ‘denying ties with Israel’

Bangladesh’s top court last week temporarily suspended the quotas, but protesters have promised to continue their rallies until the parts of the scheme they oppose are scrapped completely.

Police and witnesses said hundreds of antiquota protesters and students backing the ruling Awami League party battled for hours on Monday on the Dhaka University campus, hurling rocks, fighting with sticks and beating each other with iron rods.

Some carried machetes while others threw petrol bombs, witnesses said in a report by the AFP news agency. “They clashed with sticks and threw rocks at each other,” police official Mostajirur Rahman told AFP.

Source: Al Jazeera

 

[sweep_shot]

At least 100 wounded as Bangladesh students protest government job quotas​

The quota system reserves more than half of well-paid civil service posts, totalling hundreds of thousands of government jobs, for specific groups, including children of fighters in the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Critics say the system benefits children of pro-government groups who back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive term in a general election in January that was boycotted by the sh sparks backlash for ‘denying ties with Israel’

Bangladesh’s top court last week temporarily suspended the quotas, but protesters have promised to continue their rallies until the parts of the scheme they oppose are scrapped completely.

Police and witnesses said hundreds of antiquota protesters and students backing the ruling Awami League party battled for hours on Monday on the Dhaka University campus, hurling rocks, fighting with sticks and beating each other with iron rods.

Some carried machetes while others threw petrol bombs, witnesses said in a report by the AFP news agency. “They clashed with sticks and threw rocks at each other,” police official Mostajirur Rahman told AFP.

Source: Al Jazeera

I wish the students all the very best. They are doing the right thing by protesting the quota system (which gives preference to corrupt ruling party members).

 

[BouncerGuy]

Deadly unrest over job quotas grips Bangladesh

Schools and universities across Bangladesh have been shut until further notice after six people were killed in protests over quotas in government jobs.

University students have been holding rallies for several days against the system of providing reservations in public sector jobs for the children of war heroes, who fought for the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Some jobs are also reserved for women, ethnic minorities and the disabled.

A third of posts are kept for the children of those categorised as war heroes. The students argue that the system is discriminatory, and they want recruitment based on merit.

Several cities, including the capital Dhaka, this week witnessed clashes between supporters of the anti-quota movement and those who are against it, particularly the student wing of the governing Awami League known as the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

Student groups attacked each other with bricks and sticks. Police fired tear gas and used rubber bullets to disperse the clashing groups. Student activists said hundreds of people had been injured in the attacks.

“We blame the BCL members for the violence. They killed the protesters. Police didn’t intervene to save the ordinary students,” Abdullah Salehin Ayoun, one of the co-ordinators of the anti-quota movement, told the BBC.

Government jobs are highly coveted in Bangladesh because they pay well. In total, more than half of the positions - amounting to hundreds of thousands - are reserved for certain groups.

Critics say the system unfairly benefits the children of pro-government groups that support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth straight election in January.

Ms Hasina’s government abolished the reservation in 2018, following protests.

But a court ordered the authorities to reinstate the quotas in early June, triggering the latest round of protests.

Officials say three people were killed in the southern port city of Chittagong and two in Dhaka, while one student was killed in the northern city of Rangpur by a stray bullet.

Media reports say at least three of those killed were students, though there is no official confirmation yet.

The government blames opposition groups for the violence.

“The student fronts of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] have infiltrated this anti-quota movement. They are the ones who initiated the violence,” Law Minister Anisul Huq told the BBC.

Bangladesh's top court suspended the current system last week, but protests are expected to continue until it is permanently removed.

“The case has been listed for hearing on 7 August. Students have been given an opportunity to present their argument in the court,” Mr Huq said.

In a late-night operation on Tuesday, police raided the headquarters of the BNP, the main opposition party, in Dhaka, following the violent clashes.

Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the raid was nothing but a drama and it was a message for the students to return home.

The protests have been going on for days with the students blocking roads and highways in Dhaka and other major cities, bringing traffic to a halt.

Student leaders said they were angered by recent comments of Ms Hasina who, they say, described those opposed to the job quotas as razakar – a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war.

Several student leaders said Ms Hasina had insulted them by comparing them to razakar. The comparison, they said, also encouraged BCL members to attack them.

“They want to suppress our voices through creating a reign of terror in the country. If I don’t protest today, they will beat me another day. That’s why I am on the streets to protest,” Rupaiya Sherstha, a female student at Dhaka University, told the BBC.

But government ministers say Ms Hasina’s comments were misinterpreted, and she did not call the students razakar.

Mohammad Ali Arafat, state minister for information and broadcasting, denied allegations that the student wing of the Awami League triggered the violence.

He said the trouble began after anti-quota students intimidated residents of a hall in Dhaka.

“If there’s chaos on the university campuses, there’s no benefit for the government. We want peace to be maintained,” Mr Arafat told the BBC.

UN Secretary General António Guterres called on the government to "protect the demonstrators against any form of threat or violence", according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The students have vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met.

The government has strengthened security by deploying the paramilitary, Border Guards Bangladesh, in five main cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong.

BBC

 

[FearlessRoar]

Deadly unrest over job quotas grips Bangladesh

Schools and universities across Bangladesh have been shut until further notice after six people were killed in protests over quotas in government jobs.

University students have been holding rallies for several days against the system of providing reservations in public sector jobs for the children of war heroes, who fought for the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Some jobs are also reserved for women, ethnic minorities and the disabled.

A third of posts are kept for the children of those categorised as war heroes. The students argue that the system is discriminatory, and they want recruitment based on merit.

Several cities, including the capital Dhaka, this week witnessed clashes between supporters of the anti-quota movement and those who are against it, particularly the student wing of the governing Awami League known as the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

Student groups attacked each other with bricks and sticks. Police fired tear gas and used rubber bullets to disperse the clashing groups. Student activists said hundreds of people had been injured in the attacks.

“We blame the BCL members for the violence. They killed the protesters. Police didn’t intervene to save the ordinary students,” Abdullah Salehin Ayoun, one of the co-ordinators of the anti-quota movement, told the BBC.

Government jobs are highly coveted in Bangladesh because they pay well. In total, more than half of the positions - amounting to hundreds of thousands - are reserved for certain groups.

Critics say the system unfairly benefits the children of pro-government groups that support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth straight election in January.

Ms Hasina’s government abolished the reservation in 2018, following protests.

But a court ordered the authorities to reinstate the quotas in early June, triggering the latest round of protests.

Officials say three people were killed in the southern port city of Chittagong and two in Dhaka, while one student was killed in the northern city of Rangpur by a stray bullet.

Media reports say at least three of those killed were students, though there is no official confirmation yet.

The government blames opposition groups for the violence.

“The student fronts of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] have infiltrated this anti-quota movement. They are the ones who initiated the violence,” Law Minister Anisul Huq told the BBC.

Bangladesh's top court suspended the current system last week, but protests are expected to continue until it is permanently removed.

“The case has been listed for hearing on 7 August. Students have been given an opportunity to present their argument in the court,” Mr Huq said.

In a late-night operation on Tuesday, police raided the headquarters of the BNP, the main opposition party, in Dhaka, following the violent clashes.

Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the raid was nothing but a drama and it was a message for the students to return home.

The protests have been going on for days with the students blocking roads and highways in Dhaka and other major cities, bringing traffic to a halt.

Student leaders said they were angered by recent comments of Ms Hasina who, they say, described those opposed to the job quotas as razakar – a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war.

Several student leaders said Ms Hasina had insulted them by comparing them to razakar. The comparison, they said, also encouraged BCL members to attack them.

“They want to suppress our voices through creating a reign of terror in the country. If I don’t protest today, they will beat me another day. That’s why I am on the streets to protest,” Rupaiya Sherstha, a female student at Dhaka University, told the BBC.

But government ministers say Ms Hasina’s comments were misinterpreted, and she did not call the students razakar.

Mohammad Ali Arafat, state minister for information and broadcasting, denied allegations that the student wing of the Awami League triggered the violence.

He said the trouble began after anti-quota students intimidated residents of a hall in Dhaka.

“If there’s chaos on the university campuses, there’s no benefit for the government. We want peace to be maintained,” Mr Arafat told the BBC.

UN Secretary General António Guterres called on the government to "protect the demonstrators against any form of threat or violence", according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The students have vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met.

The government has strengthened security by deploying the paramilitary, Border Guards Bangladesh, in five main cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong.

BBC

Dar urges safety for Pakistani students amid Bangladesh protests​

Pakistan's High Commission in Dhaka on Wednesday issued an advisory to Pakistani students in Bangladesh to take all necessary precautions for their safety due to the ongoing protests in the country.

The students have been specifically advised to stay away from any protest activities to avoid potential harm.

In response to the situation, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a conversation with the Pakistani High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Ambassador Syed Maroof, this morning to inquire about the well-being of Pakistani nationals residing in Bangladesh.

During the discussion, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all Pakistanis, particularly the students living in Dhaka.

Dar instructed the High Commissioner to remain in close contact with local authorities to guarantee the security of Pakistani students.

Ambassador Maroof provided an update on the measures already taken to protect Pakistanis, including the establishment of a helpline by the High Commission for their convenience and safety.

This advisory and the steps taken by the Pakistani High Commission reflect the government’s commitment to the safety of its citizens abroad amid the current unrest in Bangladesh.

Earlier, Bangladesh announced on Tuesday that all educational institutions across the country would be closed indefinitely following clashes between students protesting the quota system in public service jobs and police, which killed at least six people and injured dozens more.

The decision was made in response to violent protests by students protesting a court decision to reinstate quotas for government jobs, which were abolished in 2018, who clashed with police in several cities as well as a ruling party-affiliated student group in the capital Dhaka.

The Education Ministry announced the closure of the country's high schools, higher secondary educational institutions, and polytechnic institutes until further notice after nationwide student protests against the job quota distribution system in public government sectors.

The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, the country's university regulatory body, announced in a separate statement late Tuesday that all universities and medical colleges would be closed indefinitely.

Earlier, two people were killed during clashes in Dhaka between protesters and the pro-ruling party's student wing, the Bangladesh Students' League.

They were declared dead after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police inspector Md Bachchu Mia confirmed to the media.

Dar urges safety for Pakistani students amid Bangladesh protests | The Express Tribune

Students specifically advised to stay away from any protest activities to avoid potential harm

tribune.com.pk

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Students have vowed to resist until their demands are not answered.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1813550361342316984

 

[Cricket Warrior]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1813553026357162061

 

[BouncerGuy]

Police fire tear gas as Bangladesh protests against job quotas rage

Police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse students protesting against the Bangladesh government’s job quota system in the capital, Dhaka, as authorities ordered the closure of all public and private universities for an indefinite period.

On Wednesday, authorities deployed units of the paramilitary Border Guard force alongside riot police outside the University of Dhaka campus as students chanted: “We will not let our brothers’ blood go in vain”.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and lobbed sound grenades at the students as they marched in processions carrying coffins in solidarity with those killed, Nahid Islam, the coordinator of the anti-quota protests, told the news agency Reuters.

“Our protests will also continue no matter how much violence they can unleash on us,” University of Dhaka student Chamon Fariya Islam told the AFP news agency.

The job quotas, which include a 30 percent reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, have caused anger among students who say the system benefits children of pro-government groups who back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive term in a general election in January that was boycotted by the opposition.

Students also say the quotas won’t fix high youth unemployment rates in the country, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

Demonstrations intensified and turned violent after Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, refused to meet the protesters’ demands. She labelled those opposing the quota as “razakar” – a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war.

On Tuesday, six people, including at least three students, were killed during clashes, police said.

Hasina has condemned the killings and insisted that perpetrators would be brought to justice.

“I condemn every murder,” she said in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening.

“I firmly declare that those who carried out murders, looting and violence – whoever they are – I will make sure they will be given the appropriate punishment.”

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud added that the government was sympathetic towards the students and their movement and blamed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami party for the violence.

Police also raided the BNP headquarters and arrested seven members of its student wing, in an effort to stop the violence. Detective branch chief Harun-or-Rashid told reporters that officers had found a cache of Molotov cocktails and other weapons at the BNP offices.

Meanwhile, internet users around Bangladesh reported widespread outages of Facebook, the main platform used to organise the protests. Online freedom watchdog NetBlocks said “multiple internet providers” in Bangladesh had completely restricted access to the social media platform in the wake of Tuesday’s crackdown.

Rights watchdog Amnesty International and the US Department of State have both condemned this week’s clashes and urged Hasina’s government not to crack down on peaceful demonstrators.

ALJAZEERA

 

[LongHorn]

The protests were not violent until student thugs backed by the government attacked protestors at night.
The student thugs are mobilized by the government whenever a protest gets too big for the governments comfort

They attack either in tandem with police or with police covering for them.
In 2018 high school kids protested for nationwide road safety, the protests broke after the thugs attacked raped many female students
When the fake election took place in 7th January these thugs were used to beat up or intimidate any voter trying to vote against the narrative

The student goons are all officially students but many are in their 30s and most have failed multiple years.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Bangladesh death toll rises to 16 in nationwide anti-quota protests

DHAKA, July 18 (Reuters) - Thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks clashed with armed police in Dhaka on Thursday as the Bangladesh authorities cut some mobile internet services to quell anti-quota protests that have killed at least 16 people this week.

The nationwide agitation, the biggest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected for a fourth time, is fuelled by high unemployment among the youth, with nearly a fifth of the 170 million population out of work or education.

Protesters are demanding the state stop setting aside 30% of government jobs for families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Ten people died in clashes with police on Thursday in Dhaka - the highest toll in a single day so far - including a bus driver whose body was brought to a hospital with a bullet wound to his chest, a rickshaw-puller and three students, officials told Reuters.

Source: Reuters

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Bangladesh state TV set ablaze in deadly protests

Protesters set fire to the headquarters of the state broadcaster in Bangladesh on Thursday as violent clashes between students and police continued, the authorities said.

It comes as the country was reported to be in the midst of a near total internet blackout.

A post on BTV's official Facebook page warned "many" were trapped inside the building in Dhaka, as it appealed for help from the fire service to put the blaze out.

Bangladesh's information minister told the BBC that broadcasts had been stopped and most employees had left the building in the capital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had appeared on the network the night before, appealing for calm after days of violent protests which have left at least 17 people dead, possibly many more, and hundreds injured.

Students have been holding rallies demanding change to a system which reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans of the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The students are arguing that the system is discriminatory, asking for recruitment based on merit.

The government has been trying to quell the protests, on Thursday switching off the country's mobile internet in an attempt to slow the students.

Instead, it became the deadliest day so far, according to news agency AFP. According to its count citing hospitals, a total of 32 people have died during the protests - most of them on Thursday.

The BBC's Bengali service has confirmed 17 deaths so far - among them, a 32-year-old journalist for the Dhaka Times.

Bangladesh protests: Students set state broadcaster alight

A post on BTV's official Facebook page warned "many" were trapped inside the building.

www.bbc.com

 

[LongHorn]

Death toll crosses 50 officially, unofficially over a hundred
Whole Bangladesh is without internet or mobile network as government has cut it

Fears are that the army and police are doing killings at night

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Bangladesh issues high security alert as deadly protests escalate

A High Security Alert has been issued for the whole of Bangladesh, as violent clashes between students and police continue.

The capital Dhaka is in the midst of a near-total internet blackout, with phone lines also down.

On Thursday evening, several thousand protestors stormed the state broadcaster BTV, vandalising furniture, smashing windows and lights and setting parts of it on fire.

Bangladesh's information minister told the BBC that broadcasts had been stopped and most employees had left the building in the capital.

A post on BTV's official Facebook page had earlier warned "many" were trapped inside the building, and appealed for help from the fire service to put the blaze out.

A senior BTV journalist, who didn’t want to be named, told the BBC: "The situation was so bad we didn’t have any other option but to leave the place. Some of our colleagues were trapped inside. I don’t know what happened to them."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network on Wednesday night, appealing for calm after days of violent protests which have left at least 19 people dead, possibly many more, and hundreds injured.

Students have been holding rallies demanding change to a system which reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans of the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The students are arguing that the system is discriminatory, asking for recruitment based on merit.

The government has been trying to quell the protests, on Thursday switching off the country's mobile internet in an attempt to slow the students.

Instead, it became the deadliest day so far, according to news agency AFP. According to its count citing hospitals, a total of 32 people have died during the protests.

The BBC's Bengali service has confirmed 19 deaths so far - 13 of them on Thursday. Among the dead was a 32-year-old journalist for the Dhaka Times.


BBC

 

[Champ_Pal]

Reservations are a major issue in any country. Once you give them to certain section of the society, it is hard to get rid of it. No one wants to give up freebies.
Only merit should be rewarded. Not your family of birth or caste or religion.

I remember many students committed suicide in India during 80's when the anti-reservation movement was going in India.

 

[sweep_shot]

Death toll crosses 50 officially, unofficially over a hundred
Whole Bangladesh is without internet or mobile network as government has cut it

Fears are that the army and police are doing killings at night

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. May Allah (SWT) grant them Jannah.

May something good come out of their sacrifices.

 

[sweep_shot]

Is this the beginning of end for Hasina's regime? Killing students is a very big red line and it has angered the entire country.

Using army to kill more is unlikely to make things better. Maybe a full-blown civil war has just started.

 

[Varun]

At least the reservation is for 1971 war veterans' kids - ie: will disappear in another generation.

Here in India it's an endless cesspit on SC/ST/OBC.

 

[LongHorn]

At least the reservation is for 1971 war veterans' kids - ie: will disappear in another generation.

Here in India it's an endless cesspit on SC/ST/OBC.

No it was initially for them and kids.

Then they extended it for grandchildren

On top of that a large % of holders of war veteran certificates got it without fighting (some were born in 1971 or afterwards!)

 

[LongHorn]

Is this the beginning of end for Hasina's regime? Killing students is a very big red line and it has angered the entire country.

Using army to kill more is unlikely to make things better. Maybe a full-blown civil war has just started.

There are some very disturbing videos coming out confirming my fears
Army and goons entering hostels and homes sheltering students and killing them point blank

I cannot imagine how BD army became this spineless.

 

[BouncerGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1814107783903740413

 

[BouncerGuy]

Protest leaders refuse negotations with government

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq has previously stated that the Bangladeshi government is willing to engage in dialogue with protesters on the quota reform and is open to discussions on the matter.

However, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the movement, declared on Facebook, “We will not negotiate while standing on the sacrifices made.”

Another leader, Asif Mahmud, said, “Dialogue cannot be held under the threat of bullets. I would rather face death than accept this betrayal.”

“On one side, there are bullets, and on the other, there is a call for dialogue. We cannot sit down for dialogue while standing in the blood of our brothers,” he said.

Quota reform leaders have blamed the government for the violence, claiming that the movement was peaceful until the government intervened. They vowed to continue protesting until their demands are met.

“We will persevere with our protests until our demands are fulfilled, including reforming the quota system, opening up halls and campuses, ensuring university campuses are free from terror, removing political forces from campuses, and ensuring the punishment of those who have killed and attacked,” Mahmud said.

“The people of the country have united against those who sought to isolate us. No conspiracy can thwart our movement.”

ALJAZEERA

 

[gani999]

There may be some underlying issues but protests at such a scale with so much violence are usually manufactured.
Sheik Hasina was in China last week, If some sources are to be believed, her trip wasn't very successful and the Chinese were rather upset with her stance on some issues. She even cut short her visit and returned home early.

Clearly, an attempt is being made to get Bangladesh to 'behave'.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I understand that Hasina needs to milk the 1971 civil war for as long as possible as her whole identity is built on it, but it's a mistake to be affecting peoples lives over half a century later. The young folk want equal opportunities, they don't want to see their prospects diminished for the sake of her political grandstanding.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Widespread telecoms disruptions in Bangladesh as student protests spike

Telecoms links were widely disrupted in Bangladesh on Friday, with television news channels going off the air amid violent student protests against quotas for government jobs that have killed nearly two dozen people this week.

Sparked by student anger against the controversial quotas, the protests, some analysts say, are also being fuelled by economic woes, such as high inflation, growing unemployment and shrinking reserves of foreign exchange.

The government offered no immediate comment on Friday's severed communications, but said police in Dhaka, the capital, had barred all public meetings and processions indefinitely.

Police fired tear gas to scatter protesters in some zones of fresh violence, Reuters journalists said, adding that security forces and protesters milled about in the streets of Dhaka.

Protesters blocked roads at many places and threw bricks at security forces, the English-language website of the Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo said.Thursday's violence in 47 of Bangladesh's 64 districts killed 27 and injured 1,500, it added, while French news agency AFP put the day's toll at 32, citing a police spokesman as saying 100 policemen were injured with 50 police booths burnt.

Reuters, which reported 13 dead, up from a tally of six earlier in the week, could not immediately verify the higher figures.

Citing unidentified sources, India's Economic Times newspaper said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government was forced to call in the army late on Thursday to help maintain order.

Reuters could not independently verify the details.

The protests have also opened old and sensitive political faultlines between those who fought for Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971 and those accused of collaborating with Islamabad.

The former include the Awami League ruling party of Hasina, who branded the protesters "razakar", making use of a term that described independence-era collaborators.

Authorities had cut some mobile services on Thursday to try to quell the unrest, but the disruption widened nationwide the next morning, Reuters witnesses said.

Overseas telephone calls and those through the internet were crippled, while the websites of several Bangladesh newspapers did not update on Friday and were also inactive on social media.

A few voice calls went through, but there ws no mobile data or broadband, a Reuters photographer in Dhaka said, adding that even text messages were not being transmitted.

News television channels and state broadcaster BTV went off the air, although entertainment channels were normal, a Reuters witness said.

Some news channels displayed a message blaming technical issues, and promising to resume programming soon, the witness said.

Streets in Dhaka were deserted with little traffic on Friday, a weekly holiday in the Muslim-majority nation, but the witness added that a protest rally had been called for 0800 GMT at the main mosque.

There were no flight disruptions at the main international airport, aviation website Flightradar24 showed.

WEBSITES HACKED​

The official websites of the central bank, the prime minister's office and police appeared to have been hacked by a group calling itself "THE R3SISTANC3".

"Operation HuntDown, Stop Killing Students," read identical messages splashed on the sites, adding in crimson letters: "It's not a protest anymore, it's a war now."

Another message on the page read, "Prepare yourselves. The fight for justice has begun," adding, "The government has shut down the internet to silence us and hide their actions. We need to stay informed about what is happening on the ground." Giant neighbour India once again urged its citizens in Bangladesh to avoid local travel and limit movement.

The nationwide agitation, the biggest since Hasina was re-elected this year, has been fuelled by high unemployment among the youth, most of them out of education or work, who make up nearly a fifth of a population of 170 million.

Protesters want the government to stop setting aside 30% of government jobs for the families of those who fought for independence from Pakistan.

Bangladesh's Supreme Court, which has set an Aug.7 date to hear an appeal by Hasina's government against a high court order last month to reinstate the quota system scrapped in 2018, has suspended the lower court's order until the hearing.

On Thursday, the government said it was willing to hold talks with the protesters, but they refused, saying, "Discussions and opening fire do not go hand in hand."

Dhaka's main university campus had been the site of the worst protests, but Thursday saw bigger demonstrations elsewhere.

Reeling from the ripple effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh got a $4.7-billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund in January 2023.

In June it got immediate access to IMF loans of about $928 million for economic support and about $220 million to fight climate change.

REUTERS

 

[sweep_shot]

There are some very disturbing videos coming out confirming my fears
Army and goons entering hostels and homes sheltering students and killing them point blank

I cannot imagine how BD army became this spineless.

Yeah. I have just seen one video on FB. Police came to house and started to shoot. It feels like Gaza.

Shameful.

 

[sweep_shot]

@LongHorn

It feels different this time.

Protests and government killings happened before too but people are really enraged this time. I have a feeling this may not end well for Hasina's government when this is over.

Also, I see BNP is getting involved now.

 

[sweep_shot]

Bangladesh students defy ban to continue protests​

Protesting students have returned to the streets of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, defying a ban on public rallies following a day of clashes which left dozens dead.

Symbolic funeral processions were planned to pay tribute to at least 25 people killed on Thursday.

The deaths brought the total number killed to 31, according to BBC Bangla, though exact toll is difficult to assess due in part to an almost complete communications shutdown, with mobile internet and telephone lines reportedly down.

The shutdown comes as authorities try to quell the protests demanding the government scrap a job quota for the families of veterans who took part in the country's independence war in 1971.

Bus and train services have reportedly also been halted, while photos from Dhaka show large numbers of police in riot gear on the streets.

Schools and universities across Bangladesh have also been shut until further notice.

But this has done little to stop the protesters, who vowed to continue with their own "Complete Shutdown", which has seen them blockade roads across the city.

On Friday, students chanting "merit, merit" and "we won't let the blood that has been shed of our brothers go in vain" were joined by a number of parents outside Dhaka university.

The students are arguing that the quota system is discriminatory, asking for recruitment based on merit.

A march organised by Islamist parties was met with tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades.

The main opposition Bangladesh National Party has also called for protest.

It said one of its senior leaders, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, had been taken into custody. Police did not give any reasons for Mr Rizvi’s arrest.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam told the BBC that authorities had decided to ban rallies in the city in order to protect lives and property following Thursday's violence.

Police said 100 officers had been injured. Speaking on Thursday evening, a government minister said several vehicles parked outside government buildings were set on fire.

The clashes have also not been confined to Dhaka, with 26 districts reporting incidents.

The protesters who occupied and set light to the state broadcaster BTV had left by Friday morning, although the channel had not started broadcasting again.

A senior reporter told BBC Bangla the newsroom, studio and canteen had all been damaged in Thursday's fire.

Additional reporting by BBC Bangla

Source: BBC.

 

[KingKhanWC]

There are some very disturbing videos coming out confirming my fears
Army and goons entering hostels and homes sheltering students and killing them point blank

I cannot imagine how BD army became this spineless.

When corruption takes control this is what happens . Bangladesh is similar to Pakistan, the government is corrupt & so is the army , they will do anything to keep this power going.

 

[Red-Indian]

When corruption takes control this is what happens . Bangladesh is similar to Pakistan, the government is corrupt & so is the army , they will do anything to keep this power going.

I don't know if it's corruption so much as low value added development. I was reading in a blog post somewhere that Bangladesh has created a lot of entry level factory jobs - mainly in textiles but not enough middle-class jobs for the educated youth. That's causing a lot of resentment on this.

India went through a lot of this as well but since there's no reservations in the Private sector and most of the job creation is there now, the resentments are dying out except in the hinterland where people still aspire to government jobs.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Bangladeshis are fighting for their 3rd independence this time from the clutches of the ruling family.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Should the UK stop importing other countries' problems?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1814050151003980204

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

When corruption takes control this is what happens . Bangladesh is similar to Pakistan, the government is corrupt & so is the army , they will do anything to keep this power going.

There's added tension in that from what I have heard, many Bangladeshis feel that Hasina is more bothered about keeping Indian establishment happy than looking after her own nation's interests.

 

[sweep_shot]

There's added tension in that from what I have heard, many Bangladeshis feel that Hasina is more bothered about keeping Indian establishment happy than looking after her own nation's interests.

Hasina's father (Mujeeb) was assassinated in 1975 by BD army. Mujeeb tried to do the same thing as Hasina is doing currently.

It is why when Hasina came to power in 2008, she went after the army. She neutralized and compromised it. Army is now in her pocket as she installed her people.

Anyway, this is a litmus test for BD people now. Freedom is on the line.

There is no doubt that Hasina is good for India. Many of Hasina's decisions benefited India more than Bangladesh.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Hasina's father (Mujeeb) was assassinated in 1975 by BD army. Mujeeb tried to do the same thing as Hasina is doing currently.

It is why when Hasina came to power in 2008, she went after the army. She neutralized and compromised it. Army is now in her pocket as she installed her people.

Anyway, this is a litmus test for BD people now. Freedom is on the line.

There is no doubt that Hasina is good for India. Many of Hasina's decisions benefited India more than Bangladesh.

This is what I have heard as well.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Bangladeshi people have only seen dictatorship, first under the Pakistani regime and now under Sheikh Hasina Wajid. So, did they actually gain independence?

 

[Varun]

India went through a lot of this as well but since there's no reservations in the Private sector and most of the job creation is there now, the resentments are dying out except in the hinterland where people still aspire to government jobs.

Siddaramaiah: hold my beer (taxed at 185%)!

 

[sweep_shot]

Bangladeshi people have only seen dictatorship, first under the Pakistani regime and now under Sheikh Hasina Wajid. So, did they actually gain independence?

I say BD was free from 1975 till 2008.

After 2008, Hasina's reign started and it has been a dictatorship since then.

Bangladesh have had 8 coups since 1971. It hasn't been very stable.

 

[Varun]

Bangladeshi people have only seen dictatorship, first under the Pakistani regime and now under Sheikh Hasina Wajid. So, did they actually gain independence?

They had 2 periods of rule under who you can consider their "preferred" leader - Khaleda Zia:

1991 - 1996
2001 - 2006

 

[sweep_shot]

They had 2 periods of rule under who you can consider their "preferred" leader - Khaleda Zia:

1991 - 1996
2001 - 2006

If a fair election takes place now, Khaleda Zia and BNP should return. Should win by a landslide.

But, there hasn't been a fair election after 2008.

 

[Red-Indian]

Siddaramaiah: hold my beer (taxed at 185%)!

Yeah that would be a disaster. One which quite a few states are angling for in their desperation to be populist. As of now common sense is holding it's finger in the dykes but if it falls, it could ruin a lot of industry and make compliance a nightmare.

 

[KingKhanWC]

There's added tension in that from what I have heard, many Bangladeshis feel that Hasina is more bothered about keeping Indian establishment happy than looking after her own nation's interests.

She is old. India needs a puppet in Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis will bring down their oppressors but need a figure like IK as an inspiration.

 

[Champ_Pal]

She is old. India needs a puppet in Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis will bring down their oppressors but need a figure like IK as an inspiration.

 

[Varun]

If a fair election takes place now, Khaleda Zia and BNP should return. Should win by a landslide.

But, there hasn't been a fair election after 2008.

So basically another mara hua quom like their West Pakistan counterparts.

 

[CricketCartoons]

She is old. India needs a puppet in Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis will bring down their oppressors but need a figure like IK as an inspiration.

Pakistanis need the bravery of these bangladeshi students.

 

[sweep_shot]

Protesters storm Bangladesh jail, free ‘hundreds’: Police officer​

Student protesters in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi stormed a jail Friday and freed hundreds of inmates before setting it on fire, a police officer told AFP.

“The inmates fled the jail and the protesters set the jail on fire,” the police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“I don’t know the number of inmates, but it would be in the hundreds.”

Moushumi Sarker, a senior government official in Narsingdi district, confirmed the jailbreak to AFP but did not give further details.

A resident of Narsingdi who lives near the jail and gave his name as Ripon told AFP he saw at least 20 men leaving the facility carrying their belongings in handbags.

At least 50 people have been killed in Bangladesh this week after police heightened a crackdown on student protests calling for reforms to public service hiring rules.


Source: Al-Arabiya News.

 

[LongHorn]

When the protests were taking place, most common people were agnostic
But after the violence started and thousands of students got attacked and injured, the popular support has become anti government

(Many students got blinded by rubber bullets aimed at their heads/eyes)

 

[sweep_shot]

When the protests were taking place, most common people were agnostic
But after the violence started and thousands of students got attacked and injured, the popular support has become anti government

(Many students got blinded by rubber bullets aimed at their heads/eyes)

I think negotiation is no longer an option considering 100+ seemed to have died.

I expect a decisive outcome. One way or the other.

This is turning out to be BD's "Arab Spring" moment.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Hasina's father (Mujeeb) was assassinated in 1975 by BD army. Mujeeb tried to do the same thing as Hasina is doing currently.

It is why when Hasina came to power in 2008, she went after the army. She neutralized and compromised it. Army is now in her pocket as she installed her people.

Anyway, this is a litmus test for BD people now. Freedom is on the line.

There is no doubt that Hasina is good for India. Many of Hasina's decisions benefited India more than Bangladesh.

Any specific examples of pro India decisions?

I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of the situation in Bangladesh.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Bangladesh Imposes Curfew, Deploys Military To Keep Order: PM's Office

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's office on Friday announced the imposition of a nationwide curfew and the deployment of military forces to keep order after days of deadly student protests.

"The government has decided to impose a curfew and deploy the military in aid of the civilian authorities," Hasina's press secretaery Nayeemul Islam Khan told AFP.


Barrons

 

[sweep_shot]

Any specific examples of pro India decisions?

I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of the situation in Bangladesh.

To find specific examples, I have to shift through hundreds of FB posts which would be time consuming.

In a nutshell, RAW interference has increased under her. My sources are various FB groups and also an ex-military officer from BD (he said similar things).

Just now, I have seen one video from an ex-army guy. He was saying RAW agents were involved in current conflict (he had inside sources).

 

[LongHorn]

Unconfirmed reports say hundreds of casualties brought into DMC and other trauma centers
Many bled to death as no transport options. Shots being fired by police on ground and from helicopters, and injured people lying on the roads

So far army has not been ordered to shoot as govt is unsure how they may react

 

[sweep_shot]

Unconfirmed reports say hundreds of casualties brought into DMC and other trauma centers
Many bled to death as no transport options. Shots being fired by police on ground and from helicopters, and injured people lying on the roads

So far army has not been ordered to shoot as govt is unsure how they may react

This feels like Gaza.

Tragic.

 

[LongHorn]

TBS Bulletin
Violence rages throughout country, at least 36 dead.
Metro Rail closed from tomorrow
Helicopters seeing spraying protesters with unknown substance
Men open fire on protesters in Mirpur
BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi arrested

 

[BouncerGuy]

Attacks on Bangladesh student protesters ‘shocking’: UN

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Friday he was deeply concerned by this week’s violence in Bangladesh, calling the attacks on student protesters “shocking and unacceptable”.

“There must be impartial, prompt and exhaustive investigations into these attacks, and those responsible held to account,” Turk said in a statement.

The death toll in the ongoing protests reached 75 on Friday, according to an AFP count of victims from hospitals around the country.

The unrest has emerged as an unprecedented threat to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government after 15 years in office.

Turk urged all sides to exercise restraint and called on the security forces to ensure any use of force is strictly in line with international human rights law.

“I am also very worried by reports about the deployment of paramilitary police units such as the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Rapid Action Battalion, which have long track records of violations,” he said.

Turk urged the government to take measures to ensure the safety of students in peaceful protests, and to guarantee the right to freedom of assembly without fear of attacks against their lives.

“Bangladesh’s political leaders must work with the country’s young population to find solutions to the ongoing challenges and focus on the country’s growth and development. Dialogue is the best and only way forward,” he said.

“The shutting down of the internet is also of concern as it disproportionately restricts the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive and impart information – particularly in the midst of a crisis,” Turk added.

“We urge the authorities to restore internet access without further delay.”

Near-daily marches this month have called for an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service posts for specific groups.

Critics say the scheme benefits children of pro-government groups that back Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009.

Hasina’s government is accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including by the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.

AFP

 

[CricketCartoons]

Are the beneficiaries of the quota system also participating in any counter protest?

 

[BouncerGuy]

Despite curfew, deaths mount in Bangladesh student protests over government jobs quota

Police imposed a strict curfew across Bangladesh and military forces patrolled parts of the capital Saturday to quell further violence after days of clashes over the allocation of government jobs left several people dead and hundreds injured.

The curfew follows what was likely the deadliest day yet in the weeks of protests despite a ban on public gatherings. Reports vary on the number of people killed Friday, with Somoy TV reporting 43. An Associated Press reporter saw 23 bodies at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, but it was not immediately clear whether they all died on Friday.

Another 22 people died Thursday as protesting students attempted to impose a “complete shutdown” of the country. Several people were also killed Tuesday and Wednesday.

The protests, which began weeks ago but escalated sharply when violence erupted Tuesday, represent the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after elections in January that were boycotted by the main opposition groups.

Police and protesters clashed in the streets and at university campuses in Dhaka and other cities across the south Asian country. Authorities moved to block online communications by banning mobile and internet services. Some television news channels also went off the air, and the websites of most Bangladesh newspapers were not loading or were being updated.

Authorities could not be reached immediately to confirm figures for the overall deaths, but the Daily Prothom Alo newspaper reported 103 people were killed since Tuesday.

The United States Embassy in Dhaka said Friday that reports indicated “hundreds to possibly thousands” were injured across Bangladesh. It said the situation was “extremely volatile.”

Local media also reported that some 800 inmates fled from a prison in Narsingdi, a district north of capital Dhaka, after protesters stormed the jail facility and set it on fire Friday. Meanwhile, some key government websites, including that of Bangladesh’s central bank and the prime minister’s office, appeared to have been defaced by hackers.

The curfew began at midnight and is set to relax from noon to 2 p.m. to allow people to buy essentials before being put back in place until 10 a.m. Sunday. A “shoot-at-sight” order was also in place, giving security forces the authority to fire on mobs in extreme cases, said lawmaker Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League party.

The chaos highlights cracks in Bangladesh’s governance and economy and the frustration of youths who lack good jobs upon graduation.

The protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan. They argue the system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and they want it replaced with a merit-based system.

Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions to the war, regardless of their political affiliation.

Representatives from the both sides met late Friday to find a resolution. At least three student leaders were part of the meeting in which they demanded a reform in the quota system, an opening of student dormitories across the country and the stepping down of university officials for failing to prevent violence on the campuses.

Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government was open to discussing the student leaders’ demands.

The protests are also backed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party that has vowed to organize its own demonstrations with many of its supporters joining in the students’ protests.

A BNP statement Friday said its supporters were not responsible for the violence and the party does not support any sabotage for political reasons.

The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country’s national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures while Hasina’s government accused the party of attempting to disrupt the vote.

Earlier, Hasina’s government had halted the job quotas following mass student protests in 2018. But in June, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of 1971 veterans filed petitions. The Supreme Court suspended the ruling, pending an appeal hearing, and said in a statement it will take the issue up Sunday.

Hasina has called on protesters to wait for the court’s verdict.

SOURCE: https://apnews.com/article/banglade...t-jobs-quota-9af35994b4855ffac9bd962861447cda

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Any specific examples of pro India decisions?

I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of the situation in Bangladesh.

Has she ever been critical of Indian policies? I don't really follow the news from over there, but if BD is working in co-operation with Modi then that presumably comes with some restrictions.

 

[FearlessRoar]

UAE: ‘Urgent trial’ ordered for Bangladeshis who protested against home country’s govt​

The UAE Public Prosecution has ordered an immediate investigation into a group of Bangladeshi nationals who have protested against the government of their country in the UAE.

The group have allegedly rioted, disrupted public facilities, and destroyed public and private property.

The prosecution has also asked for an urgent trial for all those accused.

UAE: ‘Urgent trial’ ordered for Bangladeshis who protested against home country’s govt

The UAE Public Prosecution has ordered an immediate investigation into a group of Bangladeshi nationals who have protested against the government of their ..

www.khaleejtimes.com

 

[Red-Indian]

Any specific examples of pro India decisions?

I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs of the situation in Bangladesh.

From what I remember, she has favoured India bids on some big infrastructure projects. I think India expects much from her other than not to let Bangladesh fall under China's influence.

The Modi government has been very open in support for her though - loans, arms sales, the electricity interconnection agreement, infrastructure projects such as rail connectivity.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

Deaths and protests happening in a Muslim country and some posters actively searching for "Modi link"
Feels like quoting from Alchemist here " "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

 

[FearlessRoar]

All Pakistani students in Bangladesh are safe: FO

In a statement, the FO spokesperson said that the Deputy Head of Mission visited Chittagong and met with the Pakistani students who are studying in Bangladesh.

The FO said that all Pakistani students in Bangladesh are safe as the High Commission provided them safe accommodations to the students.

The FO spokesperson said that the students are accommodated at the residence of the ambassador and other secure locations.

The FO statement came amid concerns about the safety of Pakistani students in Bangladesh following the recent uproar.

The protests against public sector job quotas, which include a 30 percent reservation for the families of liberation fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan, have shaken Bangladesh for weeks.

Students who experience high rates of youth unemployment—roughly 32 million of Bangladesh’s 170 million-person population are unemployed or underprivileged—have taken offense at this.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s refusal to accept to the demonstrators’ demands, citing pending legal proceedings, and her designation of those against the quota as “razakar”—a term used to refer to people who were supposedly in collusion with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war—further escalated the protests.

This week, clashes between thousands of anti-quota demonstrators and supporters of the ruling Awami League party’s student section nationwide turned the protests violent. Rubber bullets and tear gas were deployed by the police to scatter the demonstrators.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar instructed Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Syed Maroof to ensure Pakistani students’ safety amidst ongoing protests in Bangladesh, and to work closely with local authorities for their protection.

Senator Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, contacted Pakistan High Commissioner in Bangladesh Syed Maroof on Wednesday morning to inquire about the well-being of Pakistani students particularly residing in Dhaka.

All Pakistani students in Bangladesh are safe: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) said that the Pakistani mission in Dhaka is in contact with all the students amid protests in the Bangladesh capital

arynews.tv

 

[DeadlyVenom]

From what I remember, she has favoured India bids on some big infrastructure projects. I think India expects much from her other than not to let Bangladesh fall under China's influence.

The Modi government has been very open in support for her though - loans, arms sales, the electricity interconnection agreement, infrastructure projects such as rail connectivity.

The rail connectivity thing is something that I've seen a lot of Bangladeshis are against on social media. I don't know enough about it to know how it is a sign of her being pro India.

I don't doubt she leans more heavily towards India than Pakistan given her family history but I'm keen to understand exactly how this effects Bangladeshis. Were the Indian companies she favoured inferior to their Chinese counterparts for example?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Has she ever been critical of Indian policies? I don't really follow the news from over there, but if BD is working in co-operation with Modi then that presumably comes with some restrictions.

Most of the pro Modi lot here seem to get themselves into a frenzy about illegal Bangladeshis in India.

Perhaps they should ensure Modi cooperates with people in a way that doesn't have a knock on effect on India.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Bangladesh police given ‘shoot-on-sight’ orders amid national curfew​

Police in Bangladesh have been granted “shoot on sight” orders and a nationwide curfew has been imposed as student-led protests continue to roil the country, leaving more than 100 people dead.

The curfew, imposed at midnight on Friday, was expected to last until Sunday morning as police tried to bring the swiftly deteriorating security situation under control, with military personnel patrolling the streets of the capital.

The curfew was lifted briefly on Saturday afternoon to allow people to run essential errands, but otherwise people have been ordered to remain at home and all gatherings and demonstrations have been banned. The government has also imposed a communications blackout, with all internet and social media access blocked since Thursday night.

While the government is not releasing official statistics of fatalities and injuries, local media has estimated thousands have been injured and that the death toll has hit 115.

In extreme cases, police officers have been granted powers to open fire on those violating the curfew, confirmed Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League party.

The protests that have spread across Bangladesh are some of the worst the country has experienced in more than a decade. They began earlier this month on university campuses as students protested against the reintroduction of civil service job quotas that they say are discriminatory and benefit the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister.

This week, the protests have spread far beyond campus grounds and grown into a larger movement against Hasina’s government, which has ruled since 2009. Hasina is accused of overseeing rampant authoritarianism, police brutality and corruption, with her re-election in January boycotted by the opposition and widely documented as rigged. The country’s economy has also suffered a severe economic downturn since the outbreak of Covid, leaving hundreds of millions unemployed and grappling with record inflation.

Shafkat Mahmud, 28, a student protester from Uttara, a neighbourhood of Dhaka, said this was no longer just a student protest, but nationwide civilian unrest akin to “civil war”.

Mahmud alleged that after the government shut down the internet on Thursday night, police had gone from using rubber bullets to live ammunition. He described how he and fellow protesters had been attacked on Friday by pro-government supporters who carried machetes and guns and had seen buses carrying away the dead in the aftermath.

“Since the government’s forces have been violently attacking us, our families have joined us in protests,” he said. “Our fight initially was about quotas but after witnessing the brutality and cruelty with which the police attacked the protesters, it’s now about change. We are marching for this government to step down.”

Pro-government student groups attacked protesters earlier this week and police were accused of instigating violence by firing teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades at the demonstrators. Protesters then invaded the state-run broadcaster, setting it alight, and also broke into a prison in central Bangladesh on Friday, freeing hundreds of prisoners.

According to those on the ground, Friday was the deadliest day of the protests so far, with police accused of firing live ammunition at demonstrators and at least 40 people likely to have been killed in the violence.

Representatives from both sides met late on Friday in an attempt to reach a resolution, with several student leaders demanding a complete reform of the quota system and for universities to be reopened. The law and justice minister, Anisul Huq, said late on Friday that the government was open to discussing their demands.

Bangladesh police given ‘shoot-on-sight’ orders amid national curfew

Citizens confined to homes with no internet access as student-led protests lead to deadly clashes with authorities

www.theguardian.com

 

[Red-Indian]

The rail connectivity thing is something that I've seen a lot of Bangladeshis are against on social media. I don't know enough about it to know how it is a sign of her being pro India.

I don't doubt she leans more heavily towards India than Pakistan given her family history but I'm keen to understand exactly how this effects Bangladeshis. Were the Indian companies she favoured inferior to their Chinese counterparts for example?

Who knows? That's a very technical question. What's visible is that she came out openly on the side of the Indian contractor on the Teesta river project.

I still think you're missing the point though. The resentment is not for her favouring India but for India favouring and helping her in the face of her totally losing public support.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Attack on Hindus have been on the rise in Bangladesh. It’s very concerning. They must get their act right else we will forced to bring this matter to PM Modi ji’s attention being his sworn Parivar members.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Who knows? That's a very technical question. What's visible is that she came out openly on the side of the Indian contractor on the Teesta river project.

I still think you're missing the point though. The resentment is not for her favouring India but for India favouring and helping her in the face of her totally losing public support.

Ah ok I thought that her pro India views was an additional reason for the protesters.

 

[dubeTheGoat]

Brutal oppression honestly. I used to atleast have a pittance of respect Hasina for improving Bangladesh's economy and gdp per capota, improvong the textile industry and so on, but after this even that is gone. Some of the stuff I have seen is horrifying and is absolutely fascist - dragging students out and kidnapping them at 3am....

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Most of the pro Modi lot here seem to get themselves into a frenzy about illegal Bangladeshis in India.

Perhaps they should ensure Modi cooperates with people in a way that doesn't have a knock on effect on India.

I don't know, i've heard from Bangladeshis that Indians get favourable posts in BD as part of the deal, and that there are actually large numbers of Indians working in BD. I can't vouch for any of this, it's just hearsay, but when govts start implementing internet blackouts, then it's usually a sign that democracy is failing. The same happened when the establishment moved against Imran Khan in Pakistan.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

I don't know, i've heard from Bangladeshis that Indians get favourable posts in BD as part of the deal, and that there are actually large numbers of Indians working in BD. I can't vouch for any of this, it's just hearsay, but when govts start implementing internet blackouts, then it's usually a sign that democracy is failing. The same happened when the establishment moved against Imran Khan in Pakistan.

I am also hearing about RAW getting involved in this. Just as a means to let Shaikh Hasina know her limits.

 

[Red-Indian]

I don't know, i've heard from Bangladeshis that Indians get favourable posts in BD as part of the deal, and that there are actually large numbers of Indians working in BD. I can't vouch for any of this, it's just hearsay, but when govts start implementing internet blackouts, then it's usually a sign that democracy is failing. The same happened when the establishment moved against Imran Khan in Pakistan.

I doubt this. A Bangladeshi colleague I met at a conference last year mentioned it as well but even she said she hadn't seen a single credible source. Just Facebook rants.

Much as I would hate for a close neighbour to swing to India unfriendliness, I agree the Hasina government has gone too far and has long ago moved into straight up dictatorship.

The pity is since she's killed out or absorbed most of the secular opposition, if and when she does fall, the space is going to be taken by the religious right. We're going to see Bangladesh take a big swing towards conservative, nationalist ideology. Unless managed well, it could scare away foreign investors and roll back a lot of the economic gains the country has made in the last 10-15 years.

 

[RahulBose]

At least the reservation is for 1971 war veterans' kids - ie: will disappear in another generation.

Here in India it's an endless cesspit on SC/ST/OBC.

For any rational argument, you need to understand both sides. Do you know why India does have reservation?

 

[BouncerGuy]

This threat is not about BJP, India, or MODI.

Please do not derail the thread with such irrelevant talk.

 

[BouncerGuy]

UN decries 'shocking' attacks on Bangladesh student protests

The United Nations human rights chief on Friday called the attacks on student protesters in Bangladesh "shocking and unacceptable," as the death toll from the crackdown by authorities crossed the 100 mark.

Almost daily demonstrations broke out at the beginning of July against plans to reintroduce job quotas for public sector jobs, which were abolished in 2018 after earlier student protests.

The students are demanding a merit-based system.

What did UN rights chief Volker Turk say?

"I am deeply concerned by this week’s violence in Bangladesh, resulting in reports of dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. The attacks on student protesters are particularly shocking and unacceptable," UN human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.

"There must be impartial, prompt and exhaustive investigations into these attacks, and those responsible held to account," the statement continued.

Turk said he was very worried about reports of the deployment of paramilitary police units, which he said have "long track records of violations."

He urged the government to take measures to ensure the safety of students in peaceful protests and to guarantee the right to freedom of assembly without fear of attacks.

What happened on Friday?

Violence continued in the capital Dhaka on Friday as several hundred student demonstrators blocked roads and clashed with police, the day after the bloodiest day of the protests.

Police fired tear gas to scatter protesters in some areas, journalists from Reuters news agency said. One reporter said many fires could be seen across the city.

A tally by AFP news agency, based on victims from hospitals around the country put the death toll at 105, late Friday. They included at least 52 people killed Friday, according to a list drawn up by the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The government has not released a figure for the number of dead.

Also Friday, Dhaka's police force banned all public gatherings for the day — a first since the protests began.

Demonstrators storm jail in central Bangladeshi district

A group of demonstrators stormed a jail in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi, freeing hundreds of inmates and setting the facility on fire, AFP news agency reported, citing a police officer.

Trains services were suspended nationwide, communications networks were disrupted and television news channels, including the state broadcaster BTW, fell silent.

The official websites of the central bank, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's office and the police appeared to have been hacked by a group calling itself "THE R3SISTANC3," Reuters reported.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which has backed the protests, was arrested.

Hasina's office late Friday announced a nationwide curfew and deployed military personnel to keep order.

What is Bangladesh's quota system and will it be reintroduced?

The quota system would allow for more than half of public-sector jobs to be reserved for certain groups.

Some 30% of jobs would be set aside for the descendants of ex-military personnel who fought for the country's independence against Pakistan in 1971. A smaller quota would be earmarked for women, the disabled and people from poor neighborhoods.

Critics say the proposals are discriminatory and will benefit those groups aligned with the Awami League party of Hasina, who has ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for the past 15 years.

Competition for stable and lucrative public-sector jobs in Bangladesh is fierce. Each year, some 400,000 graduates compete for around 3,000 jobs in the civil service exam.

The quota system is potentially being reintroduced after the High Court last month overturned a ban when relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions.

That ruling was suspended by the Supreme Court pending an appeal hearing scheduled for Sunday.

On Wednesday, Hasina urged protesters in a televised address to "wait with patience" for the court verdict, saying that she believes they "will get justice" and "will not be disappointed."

The government also said it had offered to hold talks with the protesters but the call was rejected.

SOURCE: https://www.dw.com/en/un-decries-shocking-attacks-on-bangladesh-student-protests/a-69717260

 

[Varun]

For any rational argument, you need to understand both sides. Do you know why India does have reservation?

Votebank politics.

 

[Devadwal]

Indian students in Bangladesh? What are they studying there?.

 

[BouncerGuy]

US issues 'don't travel' alert for protest-hit Bangladesh

The US State Department warned Americans on Saturday not to travel to Bangladesh and said it would began removing some diplomats and their families from the country roiled by deadly civil unrest.

"Travelers should not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka," the department said in an advisory that escalated its advice of "reconsider travel" from earlier in the day.

The State Department is allowing the voluntary departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members, the advisory said.

According to an AFP tally at least 133 people have been killed his week in Bangladesh, where protests this month have called for an end to a quota system that reserves more than half civil service posts for specific groups.

Soldiers were patrolling Bangladesh cities to quell growing unrest, with riot police firing on protesters who defied a government curfew.

SOURCE: https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/us-...rt-for-protest-hit-bangladesh-1.1721531621357

 

[RahulBose]

Votebank politics.

Nah, that's what people don't understand.

There are real population of the country who have no representation in any power corridors of the country.
For them to find representation and eventually come at level of others requires protection from the government.

 

[Varun]

Nah, that's what people don't understand.

There are real population of the country who have no representation in any power corridors of the country.
For them to find representation and eventually come at level of others requires protection from the government.

After 75 years of it, why are they still languishing as bad as ever?

 

[RahulBose]

After 75 years of it, why are they still languishing as bad as ever?

Well, it probably would take 200 to 300 years of protection.
Or abolishment of last names. We can take any path .

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

Indian students in Bangladesh? What are they studying there?.

Some Muslim students do go to Bangladesh for studies. Less competition and cheaper.