Bangladesh Deploys Military, Enforces Curfew After 105 Die in Protests

Bangladesh has been gripped by violent unrest, resulting in deaths of around 105 people. The announced a curfew and deployed military forces police failed to control the situation. This clashes between student demonstrators and police have a significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, which been in power for years.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's press secretary, Nayeemul Islam Khan, stated, "The government has decided to impose a curfew and deploy the military in aid of the civilian authorities." The curfew took immediate effect. In Dhaka, police banned all public gatherings for the day to prevent further violence. Police chief Habibur Rahman said, "We've banned all rallies, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today," adding that it was necessary for public safety.

Internet Shutdown Amid Protests

Despite an internet shutdown aimed at disrupting rally organisation, confrontations continued between police and protesters in Dhaka. Sarwar Tushar, who joined a march and sustained minor injuries when police dispersed it violently, said, "Our protest will continue. We want the immediate resignation of Sheikh Hasina. The government is responsible for the killings."

Student protesters stormed a jail in Narsingdi district, freeing inmates before setting the facility on fire. A police officer reported this incident anonymously to AFP, stating that hundreds of inmates were freed.

Violence and Arrests

On Friday alone, at least 52 people were killed in Dhaka according to a list from Dhaka Medical College Hospital seen by AFP. More than half of this week's deaths were caused by police fire based on hospital staff descriptions. UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the attacks on student protesters as "shocking and unacceptable," calling for impartial investigations into these incidents.

The capital's police force reported that protesters had torched and vandalised numerous police and government offices on Thursday. Among these was the headquarters of state broadcaster Bangladesh Television in Dhaka, which remains offline after students set fire to a building there.

Opposition Leaders Targeted

Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain confirmed the arrest of Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, a top leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Near-daily marches have called for an end to a quota system reserving more than half of civil service posts for specific groups like children of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.

Critics argue that this scheme benefits children of pro-government groups supporting Hasina, who has ruled since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January without genuine opposition. Rights groups accuse her administration of misusing state institutions to entrench power and suppress dissent through extrajudicial killings of opposition activists.

Schools Closed Indefinitely

This week, Hasina's administration ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police intensified efforts to control the deteriorating law and order situation. Ali Riaz, a politics professor at Illinois State University, commented on the unrest: "This is an eruption of simmering discontent among youth built over years. The job quotas became the symbol of a system rigged against them by the regime."

Students remain determined to continue their protests despite Hasina addressing the nation earlier this week on state broadcaster Bangladesh Television seeking to calm tensions. Nearly half of Bangladesh's 64 districts reported clashes on Thursday according to Independent Television.

'Nation-scale' Internet Shutdown

The London-based watchdog NetBlocks reported that a "nation-scale" internet shutdown remained in effect a day after its imposition. They noted on social media platform X that connectivity flatlined at 10% of ordinary levels, raising concerns over public safety due to limited news flow in or out of the country.

The ongoing unrest highlights deep-seated issues within Bangladesh's political landscape as citizens demand accountability and change from their leaders.