Dhaka: At least 98 people were killed as a fresh wave of protests gripped Bangladesh. Over thousands have sustained injuries, many with bullets, the Daily Star reported on Monday.
The anti-government protesters clashed with the police in at least 20 districts on the first day of the student-led non-cooperation campaign on Sunday, which intends to maintain pressure on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.
With yesterday’s tally, the anti-government rallies have claimed 300 lives in just three weeks, making it the bloodiest phase in Bangladesh’s civil movement history, the Daily Star reported.
The situation in Bangladesh became more tense after members of the ruling Awami League poured into the streets to quell anti-government demonstrations, turning things violent.
An enraged crowd attacked a police station in the northern Sirajganj area, beating 13 police officers to death as the violence escalated. Separately, fighting in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj claimed the lives of at least five people, taking the total death toll to 18 in the district, the highest tally among all.
At least 12 people lost their lives as a result of the protests in the country’s capital, Dhaka.
Bangladesh, a nation already in a state of emergency, continues to witness the attackers set fire to or vandalised several ruling party lawmakers’ homes, Awami League offices, police stations, law enforcement vehicles, prison vans, and hospital buses throughout the day.
In an attempt to put an end to the violence, the authorities tightened a nationwide curfew and blocked 4G mobile internet, according to Daily Star.
Up until late on Sunday night, there were still reports trickling in from all over the nation of deaths and damage. According to reports by The Daily Star’s district correspondents, many of the hospitalised patients had severe injuries, which is why the death toll is likely to rise.
At least 70 establishments owned by individuals or the government were set on fire, according to fire service data.
In the wake of the deepening crisis, Bangladesh announced the shutdown of public and private offices, including banks, for three days, while students have scheduled a long march for today, setting themselves on a potential collision course with pro-government groups, according to Daily Star.
The new wave of protests comes as demonstrators narrowed down their demands to just one: Hasina and her cabinet members’ resignations. They also initiated a campaign of non-cooperation at the same time, advising citizens not to pay taxes and migrant workers not to remit money home via banking systems.
Amid violent protests in Bangladesh, India has advised its nationals to refrain from travelling to Bangladesh until further notice.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also strongly cautioned its citizens currently living in Bangladesh to be extremely vigilant and limit their movements.
“In view of ongoing developments, Indian nationals are strongly advised against travelling to Bangladesh till further notice,” MEA said in an official statement on Sunday.
“All Indian nationals presently in Bangladesh are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with the High Commission of India in Dhaka through their emergency phone numbers 8801958383679, 8801958383680, 8801937400591,” the Ministry added.
The protests in Bangladesh have erupted due to demands for reforming the quota system that reserves civil service jobs for specific groups, including descendants of 1971 war veterans.
The unrest intensified after students opposed a new policy allocating government jobs to descendants of freedom fighters, leading to violence, including attacks on state television headquarters and police booths in Dhaka.
