Bangladesh Reels from Violent Protests: Government Buildings Torched, 100 Police Officers Injured
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Bangladesh experienced significant destruction on Friday following the deadliest day of ongoing student protests. Government buildings, including the Dhaka headquarters of Bangladesh Television, were torched by demonstrators, and a nationwide internet blackout was implemented.
This week's unrest has resulted in at least 39 deaths, with 32 occurring on Thursday, and the death toll is expected to rise as clashes continue across nearly half of the country's districts. According to a police statement, protesters engaged in "destructive activities" against numerous police and government offices.
Faruk Hossain, a spokesman for the capital's police force, told AFP that roughly 100 policemen were injured in the clashes yesterday. He added that about 50 police booths were set ablaze. The police statement warned that if the destruction did not cease, they would "be forced to make maximum use of law".
At least two-thirds of the deaths reported so far were caused by police fire, according to hospital staff descriptions given to AFP. On Thursday, clashes were reported in at least 26 districts, with more than 700 people injured, including 104 police officers and 30 journalists, as reported by Independent Television.
The ongoing protests, occurring nearly every day this month, demand an end to a quota system that reserves over half of civil service positions for specific groups, such as children of veterans from the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. Critics argue that the quota system benefits children of pro-government groups supporting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has ruled since 2009 and secured her fourth consecutive election win in January in an uncontested vote.
Rights groups accuse Hasina's government of abusing state institutions to solidify its power and suppress dissent, including through extrajudicial killings of opposition activists. This week, her administration ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police intensified efforts to restore law and order. Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh expert at the University of Oslo, told AFP that the protests had become a broader expression of dissatisfaction with Hasina's authoritarian rule.
"They are protesting against the repressive nature of the state," he said, noting that students are labeling her a dictator. Despite Hasina's national address on the now-offline state broadcaster aiming to calm the situation, students have vowed to continue their campaign.
The government is looking into allegations of counterfeit fertilizer following public outcry, as stated by Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura. Mwaura mentioned that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has initiated an investigation into the purported counterfeit fertilizer. "I want to assure you that those found culpable of supplying not only the fertilizer but also any other form of fake farm inputs shall be apprehended and prosecuted," Mwaura said. He mentioned that the government's decision to provide subsidized fertilizer assists in protecting small-scale farmers from fluctuations in fertilizer prices. The government representative stated that the fertilizer identified as counterfeit is a commercially sold product under an agency agreement outside the NCPB system. "The product is not part of the GOK subsidized fertilizer availed to registered farmers," he said. He mentioned that every fertilizer distributed through the Government Subsidized Program...
Retired Chief Justice David Maraga handing over the report of the National Taskforce on Police Reforms to the president on November 16, 2023, at Statehouse, Nairobi. Some time at the beginning of the Kenya Kwanza administration in late 2022, President William Ruto established the National Taskforce on Police and Prisons Reforms chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga. Last year Maraga presented the report of the National Taskforce on Police Reforms at Statehouse Nairobi. The team sought reforms aimed at addressing major challenges bedeviling the police service. The reforms await implementation. If implemented, there may soon be alterations in the responsibilities carried out by police officers, potentially impacting your safety after the team proposed separating the Kenya Police and Administration Police services in a massive restructuring operation. Prior to the enactment of the 2010 Constitution, the Administration Police primarily focused on administrative and protec...
Picture Story... In a wave of youthful activism, swarms of Kenyan youth marched peacefully against the controversial Finance Bill, 2024, employing a blend of traditional and modern protest tactics including singing, dancing, tweeting, vlogging, and TikToking. An AI depiction of the movement. This movement, marked by a carnival-like atmosphere and extensive use of technology, was a stark contrast to past demonstrations. Despite the peaceful nature of the protests, demonstrators faced teargas as 204 government-allied MPs voted to advance the bill to its second reading for further discussion. In opposition, 115 MPs voted against the bill and pledged to continue their fight. The protestors, part of a burgeoning movement, demanded a fairer fiscal system to address the hardships faced by ordinary Kenyans. Protesters in cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret used songs and social media hashtags like #OccupyEldoret to mobilize, carrying placards with messages like 'Zakayo mu...
Comments
Post a Comment