Bangladesh Updates: Protest turned into Violence, Curfew imposed, 405 Indian students rescued

A curfew has been imposed in Bangladesh on orders of Prime Minister. A protest was held by students in Bangladesh against Sheikh Hasina’s government. The protest was held for a deployment of merit based quota system in nation.

It is a demand of protestors to end the quota system in Bangladesh that allocates 30% reservation for kin of veterans those who fought for country’s war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan.
They demand to end this 30% reservation of kin of veterans and implement merit based quota system.

However this protest turned into a violent act leading to destruction of public as well as government property. Many people lost their lives during this protest. In this clashes over 105 people have been killed and over 1500 have been injured, news agency AFP reported.

Due to such violence and killing, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has imposed a curfew saying that this curfew is to maintain administration and law. She also ordered deployment of military forces in nation to maintain law and order.

This curfew was declared by the general secretary of ruling Awami league party, Obaidul Quader.
The police and security along with military officials fired bullets and tear guns on protestors. They banned gatherings in the Capital Dhaka, on Friday.

Protestors argue that system is discriminatory and benefits only to the kin of veterans and not others in nation and they want this system to be replaced with merit based system.
However, Sheikh Hasina, defended this system by saying that veterans deserves more as they have sacrificed their lives in war of independence.

The protestors set country on fire. Thus, the protest turned out to be the killing protest. The authorities of Dhaka, imposed shut on metro rail alongwith railway services. The internet connections over the parts of country has been shut down. Schools and colleges have been shut down.

“Operation HuntDown, Stop Killing Students,” messages displayed on the several sites. “It’s not a protest anymore, it’s a war now.” The official websites were hacked by the group calling itself “THE R3SISTANC3”, according to reuters.

On this violent protest, India declined to comment. However, India said around 15000 Indians residing in Bangladesh are safe and sound.
The count of students in Bangladesh is 8500 and out of this 405 students have been evacuated safely, said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

“We see this as an internal matter of Bangladesh,” external affairs ministry spokeperson Randhir Jaiswal said to media.

 

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