Janice R. Andrews
A nationwide curfew has been imposed in Bangladesh in reaction to the growing number of student-led protests against government job quotas. Today, police and military officers walk the mostly empty streets of the city, Dhaka. Numerous people have died and many have been injured as a result of the rallies, according to hospital data cited by Reuters. There have been 110 deaths overall as of Friday, when 27 more bodies were brought to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Suppression and Silence of Communications
There have been approximately 300 police officers reported injured as a result of the government’s harsh assault on the demonstrators. Authorities accuse opposition parties of inciting disturbances and place the blame for violence and damage to public property on the demonstrators. On Saturday, in response to the government’s curfew order intended to put an end to the protests, soldiers set up checkpoints. This week’s substantial increase in economic uncertainty has served as fuel for these demonstrations.
Since Thursday, there has been a nearly complete internet blackout, which has interfered with text messaging services and international phone calls. The purpose of this action is to prevent demonstrators from organizing and communicating. On Saturday, the curfew was temporarily relaxed for two hours so that people could go shopping for supplies. Tanvir Chowdhury of Al Jazeera said that she heard gunshots in Dhaka and that people were worried about the army’s deployment. “People are worried because they weren’t expecting the troops to be called into action. However, there is also a tremendous lot of respect for the army in Bangladesh, which makes some people feel reassured, according to Chowdhury.
Protest Origins and Expansion
Following the High Court’s June 5 ruling to reintroduce a quota that reserves 30% of government positions for the families of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence struggle, the protests started weeks ago and were initially nonviolent. But the public’s support for economic issues like growing food prices and increasing youth unemployment has grown. Many people have joined the protests because they feel disenfranchised and disillusioned with the administration. The general unhappiness was brought to light by Al Jazeera’s Chowdhury, who said, “A lot of regular people are supporting the students.” People in the nation are currently quite frustrated, many of them don’t think this government is legitimate, and they believe the prime minister was forced into office.”
International Reactions and Government Response
Since she was re-elected to a fourth term of office earlier this year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has been seriously threatened by the protests. In order to handle the situation, she canceled scheduled travels to Brazil and Spain. Demanding accountability, protestors have renounced talks with the government until their demands are fulfilled. The Supreme Court’s decision to consider a state appeal has put a one-month hold on the quota’s reintroduction until August 7.
Tensions have increased as a result of the arrests of protest organizers and leaders of opposition parties. International response to the crackdown has been mixed, with India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs helping to arrange for about 1,000 Indian people to return from Bangladesh. An additional 4,000 students at different universities are getting consular support.
Future Uncertainty
The timing of the curfew’s lifting has not been officially confirmed because the situation is still unstable. At least until early Sunday, it is anticipated to remain in place. The political and economic stability of Bangladesh is under threat as a result of the protests and the government’s handling of them. The world community is keeping a close eye on the country as it struggles with this problem.
The recent events draw attention to Bangladesh’s long-standing problems, which range from political upheaval to economic instability and have now burst into widespread violence. The world is waiting for more developments, and the government’s oppressive tactics and the communication shutdown have received criticism.
