Dhaka – The Bangladesh military enforced a curfew in Dhaka on Saturday in response to ongoing student-led protests against government job quotas, which have resulted in at least 105 deaths over the past week.
The curfew comes amidst a suspension of internet and text message services that began on Thursday, severing Bangladesh’s communication with the outside world. Police have been actively cracking down on the protests, which have persisted despite a ban on public gatherings.
Hospital data indicates thousands have been injured during the clashes. Dhaka Medical College Hospital alone reported receiving 27 bodies within a two-hour period on Friday evening.
For the past five days, law enforcement has employed tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the protesters, who have been responding by throwing bricks and setting vehicles ablaze.
The protests, the largest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent re-election, are driven by high unemployment rates among the youth, who constitute nearly 20% of Bangladesh’s 170 million people. In response to the escalating violence and the inability of the police to manage the situation, the government imposed a national curfew and called in the military.
The curfew was briefly lifted for two hours on Saturday to allow residents to purchase essentials, but will remain in effect until 10 a.m. on Sunday, when authorities will reassess the situation.
The unrest is centered on the controversial government job quota system, which reserves 30% of positions for the families of those who fought for independence from Pakistan. Although the quota system was abolished in 2018, a court reinstated it last month, leading to the current wave of protests. The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the reinstatement pending a hearing scheduled for August 7.
In the Dhaka district of Narsingdi, protesters stormed a jail on Friday, releasing over 850 inmates and setting the facility on fire. Scattered incidents of arson were also reported on Saturday.
Due to the unrest, Prime Minister Hasina canceled planned visits to Spain and Brazil, according to reports from the AFP news agency.
Tarique Rahman, the exiled acting chairman of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, reported numerous arrests of opposition leaders, activists, and student protesters. Among those detained was Nahid Islam, a leading coordinator of the protests, who was arrested early Saturday morning. Reuters could not independently verify these arrests.
International human rights organizations have condemned the internet shutdown and the actions of the security forces. The European Union has expressed deep concern over the violence and loss of life.
