DHAKA: Bangladesh faced escalating unrest on Saturday as army soldiers patrolled cities to quell widespread civil disturbances sparked by ongoing student demonstrations, with riot police resorting to gunfire against defiant protesters despite a government-imposed curfew.
According to an AFP tally based on reports from police and hospitals, the week’s violence has claimed the lives of at least 123 people, posing a significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, which has been in power for 15 years.
Following the enforcement of a midnight curfew and unsuccessful attempts by police to restore order, the military was called in at the request of the premier’s office to maintain law and order.
“The army has been deployed nationwide to control the law and order situation,” confirmed armed forces spokesman Shahdat Hossain to AFP.
The curfew, enforced until at least 10:00 am (0400 GMT) on Sunday as reported by private broadcaster Channel 24, led to near-deserted streets in the capital city of Dhaka at daybreak. Troops, including those in armored personnel carriers, were seen patrolling the sprawling metropolis of 20 million inhabitants.
However, later in the day, thousands defied the curfew in the Rampura residential neighborhood, prompting police to open fire on the crowd, resulting in at least one person being wounded.
“We are facing a desperate situation,” remarked protester Nazrul Islam, 52, at the scene. “There is chaos prevailing in the country… They are shooting at people like birds.”
Hospitals have reported an increasing number of fatalities from gunshot wounds since Thursday, with Dhaka Medical College Hospital alone confirming additional casualties among police officers and protesters.
Friday witnessed intense clashes across Dhaka, with police spokesman Faruk Hossain stating, “Hundreds of thousands of people” were involved, leading to significant casualties among law enforcement personnel and extensive damage to public property.
Reports from Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar, a hub for Bangladesh’s garment industry, indicated the deaths of two protesters on Saturday and the admission of several others with gunshot wounds.
Amid the turmoil, authorities arrested two leaders of Students Against Discrimination, the main group behind the protests.
Prime Minister Hasina, who had planned diplomatic visits to Spain and Brazil, canceled her travel plans in response to the escalating violence. “She has cancelled her Spain and Brazil tours due to the prevailing situation,” confirmed her press secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan.
The protests, initially sparked by demands to abolish a quota system favoring certain groups in civil service positions, have evolved into broader calls for political reform and the resignation of the government.
Critics accuse Hasina’s administration of using state apparatus to consolidate power and suppress dissent, contributing to mounting public frustration exacerbated by limited electoral alternatives.
International observers and rights groups have condemned the escalating violence, with Amnesty International’s Babu Ram Pant describing the rising death toll as a “shocking indictment” of the government’s handling of protests and dissent.
The government’s imposition of a nationwide internet shutdown since Thursday has severely restricted communication within and outside Bangladesh.
