Protests in Bangladesh and Their Suppression Continue; Increase in Deaths and Injuries

Local media in Bangladesh have reported that in the continuation of the suppression of protests led by students against the allocation of job quotas to veterans, at least three more people have been killed. Reuters reported on Friday, July 29, citing its reporters, that police used tear gas to disperse protesters, and fires were observed in several locations in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Telephone communications and internet networks have also been disrupted, and the broadcasting of television networks has been cut off. The government has cut mobile phone services since Thursday in an effort to stop the unrest. Bangladeshi newspapers have reported that many roads have been blocked by protesters and train traffic on the national railway network has also been halted. The newspaper 'Prothom Alo' published in Dhaka reported that on Thursday, during street protests in 47 out of a total of 64 districts (according to the administrative divisions of Bangladesh), at least 27 people were killed and about 1,500 were injured. Reuters states that it cannot independently verify these figures, and the police and government of Bangladesh have not commented on this matter so far. The deadly clashes in Bangladesh are over the employment quota system. Protesters are demanding an end to the quota system that allocates up to 30% of government jobs to relatives of veterans who participated in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. However, some experts believe that these protests have now gone beyond the issue of university quotas and government jobs, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the economic crisis, high inflation rates, and severe government budget deficits. Another factor in the protests may be the high unemployment rate among youth, who make up about 20% of Bangladesh's 170 million population. These protests are the largest wave of anti-government demonstrations since the re-election of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister of Bangladesh this year. Recent unrest has revived old political disputes in Bangladesh between those who participated in the country's independence war from Pakistan and groups accused of collaborating with Pakistan. Human rights organizations have criticized the disruption of communication networks and the actions of Bangladesh's security forces. The European Union has also expressed concern over the violence and deaths of people in these events. However, the Indian government has described these incidents as internal affairs of Bangladesh and stated that all 15,000 Indian citizens residing in Bangladesh are safe. According to reports, the websites of the central bank, the prime minister's office, and the police department of Bangladesh have been hacked by a group calling itself 'Resistance.' The hackers published a message on the pages of all these websites, stating: 'Stop the operations of hunting and killing students. This is no longer a protest; it is a war.' The government has not yet commented on the disruption of communication networks. On Thursday, the government expressed its readiness for negotiations, but the protesters rejected this offer. Tariq Rahman, the acting secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main political opposition force, said that in recent days, many leaders of opposition parties, political activists, and students have been arrested. Reuters has stated that it cannot independently verify these reports. The conflict among Bangladeshis has also spread to London, where police have had to intervene to control clashes between two groups of Bangladeshi men in East London.