500+ Injured: Bangladesh Student Unrest Grips Nation

Indian High Commission in Dhaka has issued an urgent advisory to Indian community members and students residing in Bangladesh following violent protests that have resulted in seven fatalities. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has recommended that Indian community members and students in Bangladesh refrain from traveling and limit their movements outside their residences due to the current situation. They have also provided 24-hour emergency contact numbers for urgent assistance.

500+ Injured: Bangladesh Student Unrest Grips Nation- Bangladeshi students persisted in their nationwide protests against civil service hiring regulations despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s attempt at reconciliation. She promised justice for the seven individuals who lost their lives during the demonstrations. On July 17, schools and universities across the country were closed as the government escalated measures to control the violent protests, deploying riot police who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

In a televised national address, Ms. Hasina denounced the killings of protesters as “murder” and pledged that those accountable, regardless of their political affiliations, would face punishment.

500+ Injured: Bangladesh Student Unrest Grips Nation- The Students Against Discrimination, the primary group leading the protests, criticized Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks as insincere and called for a nationwide shutdown on July 18. This call was widely observed in Dhaka, where traffic on typically congested roads was notably sparse. On July 17, over 500 individuals were injured in clashes across Bangladesh, with six fatalities occurring on July 16.

500+ Injured: Bangladesh Student Unrest Grips Nation- On July 7, thousands of university students in Bangladesh blocked key highways, demanding an end to what they view as “discriminatory” quotas for prestigious government positions, which currently reserve over half of all government jobs.

These quotas include 30% reserved for children of individuals involved in Bangladesh’s independence struggle in 1971, 10% for women, and another 10% allocated based on specific districts. The students are advocating for retaining only the 6% reserved for ethnic minorities and disabled individuals, arguing that the other quotas should be eliminated.