Bangladesh’s DHAKA (AP) — Students aiming to enforce a “complete shutdown” in Bangladesh’s capital battled with police on Thursday. This came after days of violent clashes amid protests over a method of assigning government jobs. Students have been protesting a government employment quota system for weeks, claiming it benefits supporters of the governing party.
Intensified Clashes and Campus Violence
After violence broke out between protestors, police, and pro-government student activists on the Dhaka University campus on Monday, the rallies have become more intense. Following the deaths of six individuals on Tuesday, the government ordered the closure of all colleges nationwide and ordered police to raid the main opposition party’s headquarters.
Government Response and Dialogue Attempts
Anisul Huq, the law minister for Bangladesh, stated in the afternoon that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had requested him to have a conversation with the protestors over a meal, and he was willing to do so on Thursday if the demonstrators were willing. The violence on Thursday continued.
Nationwide Shutdown Call
The demonstrators said on Wednesday night that they would impose a nationwide “complete shutdown” on Thursday in retaliation for the security personnel’s ongoing violence on the college students. In order to ensure that the shutdown was successful, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party vowed to exert all of its influence.
Clashes and Chaos in Dhaka
On Thursday morning, clashes persisted as demonstrators tried to impose the closure. After blocking the road and chanting, hundreds of demonstrators in the Uttara suburb of Dhaka were pursued by police. In other locations, demonstrators retaliated by throwing stones after police used tear gas and batons to scatter them. According to a Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokeswoman, several people were hurt in the fighting, including police officers. A traffic police box was attacked and set on fire by protestors, according to authorities, and police cars were wrecked during skirmishes around the city.
Impact on Daily Life
On Thursday morning, traffic was light on the typically congested streets of Dhaka, and many shopping centers were closed. Banks and offices reopened, but commuters grumbled about the lack of transportation. At the Dhaka University gates, police erected checkpoints. Local media reported on acts of violence in other cities, including as Khulna and Chattogram, and demonstrators reportedly blocked many important roads.
Public Reaction
Salma Rahman, a representative of a Dhaka financial organization, said that she hitched a ride on a motorcycle instead of driving her automobile. “We have been warned by our office to remain vigilant while out on the streets due to the possibility of violence during the shutdown.”
Controversial Quota System
A quota system that reserves up to 30% of government employment for the relatives of veterans who participated in Bangladesh’s 1971 independence struggle is being challenged by demonstrators. They want a merit-based system to replace the current one, claiming it is discriminatory and favors supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party spearheaded the independence campaign.
Legal and Political Developments
In 2018, following widespread student demonstrations, Hasina’s administration suspended the quotas. However, following pleas from the relatives of the 1971 veterans, Bangladesh’s High Court overturned that ruling last month and restored the quotas, sparking the most recent protests. After that, the Supreme Court postponed the High Court’s decision, with a decision anticipated on August 7. Following the protest, the administration also filed an appeal against the High Court’s ruling, according to the attorney general’s office. The administration was requesting an early hearing, according to Huq.
Prime Minister’s Appeal for Patience
He informed reporters, “I have already asked the attorney general to appeal in the Supreme Court on Sunday seeking an early hearing.” The Supreme Court had already scheduled its ruling on the quota issue for August 7. In Bangladesh, Friday and Saturday are included in the weekend. On Sunday, the court opens.
Hasina made this appeal in a broadcast speech on Wednesday night: “I am asking everyone to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered.” “I think the supreme court will deliver justice to our youngsters. They won’t be let down.
Preference for Government Jobs
Even though the private sector in Bangladesh now offers more employment options, many individuals still choose government positions because they are reliable and well-paying. About 400,000 graduates take the civil service test every year to compete for 3,000 posts.
Promise of Accountability
Hasina promised that those accountable will be held accountable and announced that a legal investigation would be conducted into Tuesday’s fatalities.
Unnecessarily, some valuable lives have been lost, she added. “I oppose all murders.”
International Reaction
Volker Türk, the chief of U.N. Human Rights, stated in a post on the social networking site X that all violent crimes and lethal use of force must be looked into, and those who commit them must be held accountable. According to Türk, the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech are essential human rights.
BNP Headquarters Raid
The BNP was accused of causing the disruption by Bangladesh’s ruling party, and late on Tuesday, Dhaka police stormed the party’s headquarters. Detective Chief Harun-or-Rashid reported that seven members of the party’s student wing had been taken into custody. During the raid, investigators discovered 500 wooden and bamboo sticks, five to six gasoline bottles, and 100 homemade explosives.
BNP Headquarters Raid
Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that the raid was an attempt by the government to deflect attention away from the demonstrations.
