Dhaka: Fierce clashes in Bangladesh on Sunday left 93 people dead, including 14 policemen, and hundreds injured when the police cracked down on anti-government protestors who are demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
The police fired tear gas and lobbed stun grenades to disperse tens of thousands of protesters, leading to the imposition of an indefinite curfew from Sunday evening. According to media sources, Hasina’s government is teetering and there is a buzz in Dhaka of a transitional military government taking over. The Assistant High Commission of India in Sylhet city has advised Indian nationals to remain alert.
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Statement Of Bangladesh Army
Bangladesh Army, in a statement that did not explicitly say whether they supported the protesters, stated that they stand by the people. Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman told officers that "the Bangladesh Army is a symbol of the people's trust" and "it has always stood by the people and will continue to do so for the sake of the people and the state".
At the same time, some former military officers have joined the student movement, and ex-Army Chief General Ikbal Karim Bhuiyan turned his Facebook profile picture red in a show of support.
About The Protest Against Quotas In Govt Jobs
Last month, at least 150 people were killed in violence triggered by demonstrations by student groups protesting against quotas in government jobs. According to observers, these protests have now turned into a wider anti-government movement, even though the Supreme Court has scrapped most quotas.
The protests pose a momentous challenge to the ruling Awami League and Prime Minister Hasina, who was elected for a fourth consecutive term in January elections, which were boycotted by the main opposition. The Home Ministry has also ordered a shutdown of Meta platforms Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. The mobile operators were asked to shut down 4G mobile internet.
The agitation is spearheaded by ‘Students against Discrimination’, which has announced a nationwide disobedience movement starting from Sunday, urging citizens not to pay taxes or any utility bills. The students have also called for a shutdown of all factories and public transport.
PM Sheikh Hasina On The Protests
Prime Minister Hasina said that those engaging in sabotage across Bangladesh in the name of protest are not students but terrorists and asked people to suppress them with a firm hand. Most of the shops and malls in Dhaka were closed. Hundreds of students and professionals had gathered at Dhaka's Shahbagh, blocking traffic on all sides. The violence has also spread across many other cities. Protesters blocked major highways, clashed with police, and confronted groups supporting the ruling Awami League.
Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the anti-government protests, announced said they will stage a demonstration and mass sit-in on Monday to press home their one-point demand. On Monday, they will unveil Martyrs' Memorial plaques across the country in memory of people killed recently centering the quota reform movement, he said in a statement.
