Bangladesh PM Holds Emergency Talks with University Leaders as Protests Intensify

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina convened an urgent meeting with university vice-chancellors and college principals on Saturday night. This came amid rising tensions as student movement leaders rejected her invitation for talks and demanded her resignation. This follows the deaths of over 200 people in anti-quota protests.

Recently, Bangladesh experienced violent clashes between police and student protesters. The protests were against a controversial quota system that reserved 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans from the 1971 War of Independence. The prime minister's office stated that the meeting discussed the overall situation and ways to resolve it, with teachers pledging to protect students from "evil forces."

Massive Protests and Government Response

The nearly three-hour meeting began at around 8:15 pm BST after tens of thousands of students, their guardians, and ordinary people gathered at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka. They protested against the killings and mass arrests related to the quota system for government jobs. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans, some calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation. Similar protests occurred in other major cities, with reports of scattered clashes.

Protest leaders called for a civil disobedience movement starting Sunday. They urged officials and law enforcement agencies to support them instead of the government. The government had earlier claimed that fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir, backed by ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s BNP, had hijacked the students' peaceful campaign.

In response, the government banned Jamaat and its front organizations through an executive order on Friday. "In clear terms, we want to say – we don’t care what is ruling Awami League, main opposition outside parliament BNP or Jamaat. Our students' bonding is unbreakable," said Nahid Islam, a key protest coordinator.

Calls for Government Resignation

Nahid Islam labeled the current government as "fascist" due to its repressive actions against their justified campaign. He announced that students would present a "national framework of future Bangladesh" after consulting all stakeholders. "We announce the abolition of the government and the fascist regime. That's why we call for a student uprising," he declared.

"The government now says the gates of Ganobhaban are open for talks. We believe Sheikh Hasina has already understood that the doors of Ganobhaban must remain open," he added. Protesters demanded Sheikh Hasina's resignation along with her entire cabinet and called for her to be brought to justice for all murders and disappearances in the country.

Authorities' Measures and Student Reactions

Witnesses reported that protesting students blocked major roads in Dhaka, causing traffic disruptions while police and paramilitary troops maintained vigilance. Coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement issued a 24-hour ultimatum to reopen all university dormitories as authorities ordered indefinite closure of all educational institutions to curb street protests.

Authorities had earlier enforced a nationwide curfew, deploying army troops as paramilitary BGB forces were insufficient to support police efforts. Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman met with military officers in Dhaka and other cantonments via conference calls, urging them to perform their duties with patience and restraint.

Prime Minister's Appeal for Dialogue

On Friday, Prime Minister Hasina urged agitating students to meet her at Ganobhaban for talks to end violence over the quota system in government jobs. Her appeal came a day after new protests erupted on Friday, resulting in two deaths and over 100 injuries as more than 2,000 protesters gathered in parts of Dhaka.

"I am saying again, they student leaders can come to me for talks if they want they can bring with them their guardians as well anytime," she said during a meeting with leaders of different professional groups. "The door of Ganobhaban is open for them," she added.

Suspension of Police Officials

Meanwhile, two police officials were suspended by higher authorities for their "unprofessional conduct." These officials fired gunshots that killed Abu Sayeed, a second-year student at Northwestern Rangpur University, intensifying student rage. Video footage showed Sayeed standing alone with arms spread wide when a police officer shot him several times.

Coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement stated on Friday that they had no plans to hold talks with the government. Overnight, they called for nationwide street protests and an "all-out non-cooperation" or civil disobedience campaign.

Detained Coordinators Speak Out

One of six coordinators detained earlier for their "own safety" in detective police custody revealed they were forced to announce withdrawal from their movement on Friday. "When we were detained in the office, we were asked to meet with the Prime Minister and suspend the movement," Asif Mahmud said in a Facebook post.

"There was even a plan to take us to Ganobhaban forcibly," he added. Asif wrote that they are ready to pay any price for their uncompromising stance, even if it means death. He called for every citizen's participation in the student-citizen uprising.

The situation remains tense as both sides stand firm on their positions. The government's measures have not quelled the unrest among students demanding significant changes.