Bangladesh decree curfew and deployed the military to contain a wave of protests that gained strength on Friday, with the police unable to prevent the marches, halt the assault on a prison or quell the riots that have left 105 dead.
The South Asian country is in turmoil, with student protests beginning in early July against a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service jobs for certain sectors of society, including children of veterans of the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.
The protests have sparked a broader mobilization challenging the autocratic rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power for 15 years.
This week’s unrest has left at least 105 dead, according to an AFP tally based on casualties reported by hospitals.
“The government has decided to impose a curfew and deploy the army to assist the civilian authorities,” Nayeemul Islam Khan, the prime minister’s press secretary, told AFP.
The government’s announcement comes after police in the capital Dhaka took the drastic step of banning public gatherings in an effort to curb protests.
“We have banned all demonstrations, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today,” police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP, adding that the measure was necessary to ensure “public safety.”
That did not stop another round of clashes between police and protesters in the sprawling megacity of 20 million people, despite an internet blackout aimed at thwarting the organization of the demonstrations.
“Our protest will continue,” said Sarwar Tushar, a protester who suffered minor injuries during a demonstration in the capital that was violently dispersed by police.
Protesters stormed a jail in Narsingdi, 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the capital, on Friday, freeing inmates and setting the building on fire, a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“I don’t know the number of inmates, but there are hundreds,” the officer added.
Source: Ambito
