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DHAKA: Bangladesh has imposed a nationwide curfew as the death toll from violent clashes during student-led protests against government job quotas has risen to at least 105, according to hospitals cited by AFP on Friday.
The protests, defying a ban on public gatherings, have prompted a harsh crackdown by police, leading the government to deploy the army, reported BBC Bangla quoting the PM’s press secretary.
Telecommunications were disrupted and television news channels went off the air earlier. Mobile telephone services were partially cut the previous day to quell the unrest.
Reports indicate that police and security officials used bullets and tear gas against protesters, enforcing a ban on gatherings in the capital Dhaka. The demonstrations, which began weeks ago but intensified this week, pose a significant challenge to PM Sheikh Hasina’s government, marking the largest protest since her re-election for a fourth consecutive term after January polls.
There were conflicting reports on the number of casualties on Friday, with Independent Television reporting 17 deaths and Somoy TV reporting 30. An AP reporter observed 23 bodies at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, though it wasn’t immediately clear if all had died on Friday. Authorities could not be reached to confirm the death toll.
The government has deployed army and paramilitary forces across the capital to secure campuses and disperse protests. On Friday, police in Dhaka announced a ban on all gatherings and demonstrations in the city after universities, including the largest in the country, suspended classes and closed dormitories earlier in the week.
Border guard officials reportedly fired rifles and sound grenades at a crowd of over 1,000 protesters outside the head office of state-run Bangladesh Television, which was attacked on Thursday. Police also fired tear gas and rubber bullets, resulting in streets sprayed with bullets and bloodstains.
Internet and mobile data services were widely disrupted Thursday night and remained in Dhaka on Friday. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp were also inaccessible. The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission cited an attack on their data center by demonstrators who set fire to equipment, rendering service restoration challenging.
Student protesters have vowed to extend their shutdown calls on Friday and have urged mosques to hold funeral prayers for those killed in the clashes.
