At least 32 people have been killed in Bangladesh amid violent protests that erupted after a controversial quota system in government jobs was reinstated, reported AFP on Friday.
The violence escalated on Thursday as protestors set fire to one of the broadcasting units of state-run Bangladesh TV, or BTV, in Dhaka.
While the broadcaster initially said that “many people” were trapped inside the building, an unidentified official from BTV told AFP that everybody was safely evacuated.
University campuses across Bangladesh have been gripped by protests since the beginning of July. The protests are in response to a High Court ruling in June that reinstated the 30% quota in government jobs for family members of freedom fighters of the 1971 Bangladeshi Liberation War.
The reservation system, which was abolished in 2018 following widespread protests, has rekindled anger among young job seekers and students who fear that they would be deprived of opportunities because of the quota.
In recent days, thousands of anti-quota protestors have been clashing with the police and members of the ruling Awami League party’s student wing.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has ordered the indefinite closure of schools and universities amid the demonstrations. Hasina also said on Wednesday that the government will form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.
Despite her statements, 25 more people were killed on Thursday as violence worsened after the police attempted to break up demonstrations using rubber bullets and tear gas. At least seven persons were killed earlier in the week.
Citing descriptions given by hospital figures, AFP reported that at least two-thirds of the deaths were caused by police weaponry.
A reporter, Mehedi Hasan from the online news portal Didar Malekin, was also killed while covering the clashes.
Amid the protests, the government has issued a high security alert for the whole of Bangladesh, reported the BBC.
The country is also under a “near-total internet shutdown”, with phone lines also experiencing disruptions.
“Mobile internet has been temporarily suspended due to various rumours and the unstable situation created ... on social media,” said Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the junior information technology minister, reported Reuters.
On Thursday, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Thursday issued an advisory urging Indian citizens and students in Bangladesh to avoid local travel and minimise movement.
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