DHAKA, Bangladesh: A Bangladeshi student group has threatened to resume protests that led to a violent police crackdown and widespread unrest unless their detained leaders are released by Sunday.
The group, Students Against Discrimination, played a key role in the recent upheaval, which saw at least 205 people killed according to an AFP tally based on police and hospital data.
This represents one of the most significant challenges to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.
In response to the protests, the government has imposed army patrols and a nationwide curfew, while police have arrested thousands of protesters, including several student leaders. Abdul Hannan Masud, a spokesperson for the group, stated in an online briefing that they would restart their protests if their leaders, including chief Nahid Islam, were not released and charges against them dropped.
Masud, who remains in hiding, demanded action against those responsible for the deaths of protesters. He warned that without these measures, the group would initiate “tough protests” starting Monday. Islam and two other senior members of the group were forcibly removed from a hospital in Dhaka and taken by plainclothes detectives. They were reportedly being treated for injuries sustained during a previous detention.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan claimed that the leaders were taken into custody for their safety, though it was unclear if they had been formally arrested. Police also confirmed the detention of two other individuals linked to the protests.
The unrest began over the reintroduction of a quota system, reserving more than half of all government jobs for certain candidates. This move has angered many young Bangladeshis, who face high unemployment rates. Critics argue that the quota system is used to favor loyalists of the ruling Awami League. Despite the Supreme Court reducing the number of reserved jobs, protesters demand the complete abolition of the quota system.
Prime Minister Hasina, who has been in power since 2009, won her fourth consecutive term in January after a highly contested election with no genuine opposition. The government’s response to the current crisis could have significant implications for its future stability.
