Bangladesh protests, anti-quota clashes: Death toll reaches 32

New Delhi, July 19: In Bangladesh, violent clashes between police and student protesters have resulted in the deaths of 32 individuals, according to media reports that continue Friday, the fourth day running.

The protests erupted over a controversial system of allocating government jobs, with demonstrators attempting to impose a "complete shutdown" of the country.

Hospitals have confirmed the death toll, and the situation remains volatile as security forces anticipate further violence following Friday prayers, prompting the deployment of additional troops in sensitive areas and a nationwide high-security alert.

Dhaka, the capital, is experiencing a near-total internet blackout, with phone lines also disrupted. On Thursday, police confronted student protesters across the country, resulting in 19 additional fatalities. Leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star reported these deaths, noting widespread violence in Dhaka and other regions.

Tragically, a journalist named Mehedi Hasan, from Dhaka Times, was killed while covering a clash in the capital. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which has been leading the protests, rejected a government proposal for dialogue, accusing the authorities of escalating the violence. Nahid Islam, a movement coordinator, criticized the government in a Facebook post, stating that the peaceful movement was met with unprecedented violence.

Telecommunications disruptions continued on Friday amid ongoing protests. On Thursday evening, thousands of protesters stormed the state broadcaster BTV, causing significant damage and setting parts of the building on fire. BTV broadcasts were halted, and the building was evacuated, with reports of some staff members trapped inside.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the nation on Wednesday night, appealing for calm and condemning the deaths as "murder." However, her appeal was largely dismissed by protest organizers, who refused government offers of talks. Nahid Iqbal, a leader of the anti-quota protest, declared that discussions could not proceed under the current circumstances due to the government's actions.

The students' protests are driven by demands to reform a system that reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. They argue that the system is discriminatory and calls for merit-based recruitment. The government's attempts to quell the protests, including switching off mobile internet services, have only intensified the situation, making Thursday the deadliest day so far.

As the clashes continue, tear gas and rubber bullets have been deployed by police, with students creating human blockades in the streets escalating violence and the deepening crisis in Bangladesh.