More than 500 people, including some opposition leaders, have been arrested so far over days of clashes in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka sparked by protests against job quotas, police said.
“At least 532 people have been arrested over the violence,” said Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain.
“They include some BNP leaders,” he added, referring to the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
The detainees included the BNP’s third-most senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and its spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, he said.
A former national football captain turned senior BNP figure, Aminul Huq, was also held, he added.
Mia Golam Parwar, the general secretary of the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, was also arrested, Mr Hossain said.
He said at least three policemen had been killed during the unrest in the capital and about 1,000 injured, at least 60 of them critically.
Curfews, telecom disruption continue
Bangladesh appeared calm today amid a curfew, but widespread disruption of telecoms prevailed a day after the Supreme Court scrapped some quotas for government jobs that sparked protests this month that killed scores.
Clashes between protesters and security forces killed at least 139 people across the South Asian nation after the high court last month reinstated job reservations removed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2018.
Yesterday, however, the Supreme Court ordered that 93% of government jobs should be allocated on the basis of merit, against earlier quotas of 56% for groups such as families of freedom fighters, women, and people from underdeveloped areas.
There were no reports of violence or protests this morning.
Reports indicated the curfew would be relaxed for three hours in the afternoon, extended from two hours the previous day, so that people could buy essentials.
Student protesters vow to continue demonstrations
Student protesters have said they plan to continue demonstrations, however, until the release of detained protest leaders, and have demanded the government lift the curfew and re-open universities shut since Wednesday.
They have set a 48-hour deadline for the government to act on the demands.
Last week’s protests saw thousands injured as security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound grenades to scatter the demonstrators.
Experts have blamed the unrest on stagnant job growth in the private sector and high rates of youth unemployment that have made government jobs, with their regular wage hikes and other privileges, more attractive. (RTE)
