Fresh violence erupts in Bangladesh as police clash with student protesters demanding justice for victims of recent unrest. The situation escalated in the northern city of Sylhet, where demonstrators reportedly attacked police, leading to the use of tear gas. Similar clashes were reported in the capital Dhaka and other cities.
The ongoing protests stem from the deaths of over 200 people in this month’s violence, primarily due to police firing on protesters. Nearly 10,000 individuals have been detained in connection with the unrest.
The “March for Justice” organized by the Students Against Discrimination movement aimed to address issues such as mass killings, arrests, attacks, and disappearances of students and civilians. The movement initially began in response to attempts to reinstate quotas in civil service jobs for veterans’ relatives from the 1971 war for independence.
The student protesters are advocating for a merit-based recruitment system, denouncing the alleged discrimination in the current quota system. They have called for the resignation of six ministers and an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the deadly clashes during the protests.
The government, on the other hand, has blamed opposition parties for fueling the unrest. The European Union has postponed talks with Bangladesh on a new cooperation agreement following criticism of the government’s handling of the situation. EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the use of excessive force against protesters and called for accountability.
The postponed cooperation deal was intended to strengthen economic ties between Bangladesh and the EU, highlighting the significance of resolving the ongoing crisis for both parties.
