On Wednesday, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged to punish those responsible for the deaths of six people during student protests over civil service hiring rules. This promise followed police forcibly dispersing a funeral ceremony mourning the deceased.
The six fatalities occurred Tuesday amidst nationwide clashes where rival student groups fought with bricks and bamboo rods, and police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse rallies. The violence prompted the government to close all schools and universities indefinitely.
Hasina, accused by protesters of using the quota system to favor loyalists in government jobs, condemned the killings and vowed justice in a televised address. While she did not specify who was responsible for the deaths, reports from hospitals and students suggested some victims were hit by non-lethal police weapons.
Earlier, around 500 protesters at Dhaka University held a funeral procession for the six victims, but riot police disrupted it with tear gas and stun grenades. Students expelled pro-government classmates from dormitories to prevent further violence. The government then ordered the closure of all educational institutions and deployed paramilitary forces in major cities.
Additionally, police raided the headquarters of the main opposition party, arresting seven student wing members and seizing weapons. Internet users reported widespread Facebook outages, believed to be a government attempt to curb protest organization.
Despite these measures, protests persisted, with police dispersing a demonstration in Barisal with tear gas. Students demand an end to a quota system they say benefits pro-government groups, contributing to job insecurity for many graduates.
Rights organizations like Amnesty International and the US State Department have condemned the violence and urged the government to avoid cracking down on peaceful protesters.
