Fresh violence has erupted in Bangladesh as police clash with student protesters seeking justice for victims of recent unrest. In the northern city of Sylhet, demonstrators reportedly attacked law enforcement, prompting the use of tear gas on Wednesday. Additional conflicts were noted in the capital, Dhaka, and other cities across the nation.
The ongoing violence has resulted in over 200 fatalities this month, primarily attributed to police gunfire, with nearly 10,000 individuals detained amid escalating tensions. Reports indicate police geared for riots, utilizing batons to control demonstrations and apprehending protesters, many of whom are women.
Wednesday’s “March for Justice,” organized by the Students Against Discrimination movement, condemned “mass killings, arrests, attacks, and disappearances of students and citizens.” The student body has protested for over three weeks against attempts to reinstate job quotas in civil service positions for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Previously, one-third of public sector roles were reserved for such individuals; however, a Supreme Court ruling on July 21 limited this to just 5%. The student movement argues this policy is discriminatory, advocating for merit-based recruitment instead.
Organizers have called for an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demanded the resignation of six ministers following the violent clashes. The government, meanwhile, has attributed the unrest to the opposition parties, specifically the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Amidst the turmoil, the European Union has delayed negotiations with Bangladesh regarding a new cooperation agreement, responding to the government’s severe crackdown on protests. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the use of excessive force against demonstrators and urged accountability for those responsible. This postponed agreement was designed to enhance economic relations between Bangladesh and the EU, the country’s primary trading partner.
