Protesters in Bangladesh set fire to the headquarters of the state broadcaster, BTV, as violent clashes between students and police escalate. The authorities reported that “many” individuals were trapped inside the building in Dhaka, prompting an urgent appeal for help from the fire service to extinguish the blaze.
The unrest stems from student-led rallies demanding a change to the system that reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans of the country’s war for independence in 1971. The students argue that this practice is discriminatory and are calling for recruitment based on merit.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had appeared on BTV the night before to appeal for calm, has faced criticism from protest organizers for her response to the escalating violence. The government’s attempts to quell the protests, including shutting off mobile internet access, have only fueled further unrest.
The situation took a deadly turn on Thursday, with reports of at least 32 people killed during the protests, the majority of them on that day. Among the casualties was a 32-year-old journalist for the Dhaka Times. Tear gas and rubber bullets were deployed by police as students created human blockades in the streets.
The students who stormed BTV had previously set fire to a police station before targeting the broadcaster’s office. The information minister expressed concern for the safety of employees still inside the building, describing the scene as chaotic and vandalized.
Security forces are now preparing to clear the area and restore order, but the ongoing clashes highlight the deep-seated grievances driving the protests in Bangladesh.
