Bangladesh Protests Highlights: 978 Indian students return as PM Hasina cancels foreign tour amid turmoil

Here’s a summary of what happened today:

The Bangladesh government decided to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy the army amid escalating student-led protests against government job quotas, according to BBC Bangla.

Violence across 47 of Bangladesh's 64 districts has now claimed a total of 105 lives, with over 1,500 injured, as reported by AFP and local media.

Telecommunications have been disrupted, with mobile services and news channels going offline. Train services have been suspended nationwide, and protests have caused significant disruptions, including blocked roads and fires in the capital Dhaka.

The US Embassy in Dhaka reported more than 40 deaths and extensive injuries. The European Union expressed deep concern over the violence and called for a peaceful resolution, while India stated that its citizens in Bangladesh are safe.

The official websites of Bangladesh’s central bank, prime minister’s office, and police were hacked by a group named "THE R3SISTANC3," which posted messages condemning the government’s actions and highlighting the communication blackout.

At least 105 people have been killed in Bangladesh as police continue to crack down on persistent student-led protests against government job quotas despite a ban on public gatherings, AFP said on Friday, citing hospitals. .

Approximately 245 Indian nationals, including 125 Indian students and 13 Nepali students, are set to return to India tonight via the land border from Bangladesh.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the Border Security Force (BSF) are coordinating with Bangladeshi authorities to facilitate their return.

The group will cross the border through the Gede immigration point in West Bengal.

This week's unrest has claimed the lives of at least 64 people, according to an AFP tally from hospital reports, posing an unprecedented challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 15-year autocratic rule.

In a dramatic escalation, student protesters stormed a jail in Narsingdi, a central district in Bangladesh, freeing the inmates and then setting the facility on fire, as reported by a police officer who requested anonymity. "The number of freed inmates is unknown but likely in the hundreds," the officer said.

In response to the escalating violence, Dhaka's police force took the unprecedented step of banning all public gatherings for the day, aiming to prevent further unrest. "We've banned all rallies, processions, and public gatherings in Dhaka today to ensure public safety," police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP.

Despite the ban and an internet shutdown designed to hinder rally organization, confrontations between police and protesters continued across the sprawling megacity of 20 million people. Sarwar Tushar, who participated in a march in the capital and was injured during a police crackdown, vowed, "Our protest will continue."

Student protesters in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi stormed a jail on Friday, freeing hundreds of inmates before setting the facility ablaze, according to a police officer who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The inmates escaped from the jail, and the protesters subsequently set it on fire," the officer reported. "The number of escaped inmates is unknown but is estimated to be in the hundreds."

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

Ripon, a local resident living near the jail, told AFP he witnessed at least 20 men leaving the facility with their belongings in handbags.

Several Left-aligned student unions and human rights organizations held a protest march near the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Friday to express solidarity with the ongoing protests in Bangladesh against the quota system.

The activists carried placards condemning the alleged actions of security forces against student protesters in Bangladesh over the past few days. They raised slogans in support of the agitators across the border.

Hundreds of activists, including women, gathered near the Academy of Fine Arts and attempted to march towards the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. However, the police stopped them near the Exide crossing by setting up barricades.

A scuffle ensued between the police and the protesters, leading to several agitators being arrested and taken to Kolkata Police Headquarters at Lalbazar.

"The demonstrators included not only students but also members of human rights organizations. Several protesters were arrested and taken to Lalbazar police headquarters," said a police officer. (PTI)

The death toll is likely to increase as clashes persist into the night. With communication networks disrupted and protests ongoing, the prospects for a peaceful resolution remain uncertain.

Student leaders have pledged to continue their demonstrations until their demands are addressed, raising fears of further violence and instability in Bangladesh.

Here were today’s top updates as anti-quota protests continue to rage in Bangladesh:

At least 19 protesters have been killed today, with the majority in the capital, Dhaka. Others were killed in protests in nearby Narayanganj and the eastern city of Chittagong.

The government has imposed restrictions on mobile internet access, with a media rights group decrying the “internet blackout.” Netblocks has reported a “near-total national internet shutdown.”

Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq has stated that government officials are “willing to sit” for talks with protesters, who have rejected the offer, citing the high death toll.

Clashes between protesters, police, and pro-government student wings were continuing into the night, with the death toll expected to rise.