Violent student protests in Bangladesh lead to dozens of deaths
Student protests in Bangladesh turned violent as clashes with police and pro-government activists resulted in government buildings being torched and telecommunication disruptions. The death toll from the violence has risen to 32 and is expected to increase as clashes spread across the country.
With protests escalating, police issued a ban on public rallies in Dhaka and the government imposed a near-total shutdown of the internet. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp were inaccessible, and telecommunications networks were down.
The protests are fueled by high youth unemployment and demands to end the government practice of reserving 30 percent of civil service jobs for allies of the ruling party. The government has shown willingness to negotiate, but students are demanding justice for those killed before engaging in talks.
Government ‘conciliatory’
The protests, the largest since the re-election of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, highlight the deep-seated frustrations over job allocation and merit-based systems. The call for reform has led to widespread demonstrations and a violent crackdown by authorities.
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