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At least 105 people were killed and over 2,500 have been injured in Bangladesh this week, according to an AFP count of victims reported by hospitals, after the protests over quota system in government jobs turned violent. Taking action on the unprecedented escalation Bangladesh government announced a nationwide curfew, according to reports by BBC Bangla.
Government Press Secretary Naeemul Islam Khan said the army would be deployed to the streets in a bid to restore order.
Student protesters in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi stormed a jail and freed hundreds of inmates before setting it on fire, a police officer told AFP.
The morning started with television news channels going off the air after protesters attacked and set fire to the state broadcaster’s headquarters in Dhaka. Several news websites, including key government sites such as those of the central bank, police, and the prime minister’s office, were also targeted and hacked by a group calling itself “THE R3SISTANC3.”
The hackers used the prime minister’s office website to issue a message condemning the government’s actions and calling for an end to the violence, stating, “It’s not a protest anymore. It’s a war now.”
The unrest prompted the government to impose a nationwide communications blackout, blocking mobile internet access and social media to control the situation. Overseas telephone and internet calls were also failing, a Reuters witness said which has resulted in difficulty to assess the exact toll.
Bus and train services have reportedly also been halted, while schools and universities across the country have also been shut until further notice.
In Dhaka, police took the unprecedented measure of banning all public gatherings for the day, aiming to prevent further violence amid escalating protests.
Police chief Habibur Rahman explained to AFP, “We’ve prohibited all rallies, processions, and public gatherings in Dhaka today.” He emphasized that this decision was made to ensure “public safety.”
Yet student groups continued to march through the streets. Reports indicated that gunfire and stun grenades were heard near universities in Dhaka. Police were reported to have used live ammunition to disperse the crowds, and protesters have accused the police of being responsible for a significant number of the fatalities.
The US Embassy in Dhaka reported over 40 deaths and hundreds to possibly thousands injured, describing the situation as “extremely volatile.” International reactions have been swift. The European Union expressed deep concern over the violence and called for a peaceful resolution. Clashes related to the protests were also reported in London.
The worsening situation in Bangladesh has compelled Indian students to return home using various means. On Friday alone, over 300 students crossed into India through border points in the northeast.
Many of the returning students were enrolled in MBBS programs and came from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir. They used key routes, including the Akhurah international land port near Agartala in Tripura and the Dawki international land port in Meghalaya, to return.
The students decided to leave Bangladesh temporarily after experiencing a near-total internet shutdown and severe disruptions to telephone services, which cut off their communication with families. Aamir, a second-year student at Marine City Medical College and Hospital in Chittagong, explained that the worsening situation and travel restrictions forced him and others to seek alternative routes home. Unable to book flight tickets, he and many others traveled by road to Agartala.
Mohammed Faiz Abdullah Khan, another student from the same college, recounted that the situation remained normal until Tuesday, when they were advised to stay within their accommodations. College authorities suggested returning to India if they felt insecure, and the Indian Embassy confirmed this advice. Khan and other students managed to reach the Agartala border by cab and crossed into India.
In Meghalaya, over 200 Indian students crossed the border due to the unrest. Additionally, a few students from Bhutan and Nepal have entered India. Officials reported that 67 of the students were from Meghalaya and seven from Bhutan. The state government is coordinating with the Bangladesh High Commission and the Bangladesh Land Port Authority to ensure the safe return of these students.
Amidst these events, the Bangladeshi government indicated a willingness to negotiate, but talks with protesters have been unsuccessful. Opposition figures, including Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, reported numerous arrests of activists and student leaders, though these claims have yet to be confirmed by Reuters.
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