At least 72 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and hundreds injured in violent clashes between protesters and Awami League supporters in different parts of the country on Sunday, the first day of the “non-cooperation” movement declared by student organizations over the reservation system in government jobs in Bangladesh. The protesters arrived to participate in a “non-cooperation program” demanding the resignation of the government. Workers of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League opposed them and then clashes broke out between the two sides. The “Prothom Alo” newspaper said in its report, “So far 72 people have been killed in the clashes that took place throughout the day across the country.” According to the Police Headquarters, 14 policemen are reported to have been killed across the country, out of which 13 were from Inayatpur police station in Sirajganj.
Internet shut down in Bangladesh
According to the newspaper, a person was killed in Elliotganj in Comilla. The Home Ministry decided to impose indefinite curfew in the country from 6 pm on Sunday. Government agencies have ordered to shut down social media platforms Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. The newspaper reported that mobile providers have been ordered to shut down 4G internet. The Students Against Discrimination Platform called for a complete “non-cooperation” movement from today with a single-point demand for the resignation of the government. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hasina said that the people who are vandalizing Bangladesh in the name of protest are not students but terrorists and she asked the public to deal strictly with such people. She said, “I appeal to the countrymen to deal strictly with these terrorists.” Sheikh Hasina called a meeting Quoting sources in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the newspaper reported that Hasina called a meeting of the National Committee on Security Affairs at Ganabhaban. The meeting was attended by the chiefs of the army, navy, air force, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) and other top security officials. The government has declared a three-day general holiday on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to ensure the safety of people amid the ongoing violent protests across the country. The newspaper reported that six Awami League leaders and workers were beaten to death and many others were injured in a clash between ruling party supporters and protesters in Narsingdi. In the capital, protesters took away the bodies of four people from Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Protesters reached Central Shaheed Minar with the bodies
According to the news, the protesters reached Central Shaheed Minar with the four bodies and raised anti-government slogans. At the same time, in a related development, a group of former senior army officials on Sunday urged the government to remove the armed forces from the streets and send them back to the barracks. Iqbal Karim, who served as army chief in Prime Minister Hasina’s government, said, “We urge the government to take political initiative to resolve the current situation. Don’t destroy the good reputation of our armed forces by engaging them in such operations.” Most shops and malls in Dhaka remained closed due to the protests. Hundreds of students and working people have gathered at Dhaka’s Shahbagh, causing a traffic jam.
Demand for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation
According to a report by news portal ‘BDNews24’, the protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and raised slogans demanding justice for those killed in recent protests over reservation reforms. Protesters also gathered at the capital’s Science Lab Square on the first day of the non-cooperation movement and raised anti-government slogans. According to the newspaper ‘Daily Star’, unidentified persons set several vehicles on fire at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on Sunday. According to the report, people carrying sticks were seen vandalising private cars, ambulances, motorcycles and buses on the hospital premises, creating fear among patients, attendants, doctors and other staff.
Sheikh Hasina’s invitation rejected
The protesters rejected Hasina’s invitation for talks and demanded the resignation of the government. The coordinators of the protest called on students of schools, colleges, universities, private universities and madrassas as well as workers, professionals, political activists and other common people to participate in the protest. Nahid Islam, the coordinator of the anti-government protests, announced that they would hold demonstrations and mass sit-ins on Monday over their one-point demand. He said in a statement that on Monday they would unveil martyr memorial plaques in memory of those killed recently across the country during the reservation reform movement. Bangladesh recently witnessed violent clashes between police and mainly student protesters in which more than 200 people were killed.
