At least 91 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and hundreds injured on Sunday in fierce clashes between protesters demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the ruling party supporters in different parts of Bangladesh on the first day of the non-cooperation movement over a Government jobs quota system.
The clashes broke out this morning when protesters attending the non-cooperation programme under the banner of the Students Against Discrimination with the one-point demand of the Government’s resignation faced opposition from the supporters of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.
So far, 91 people have been killed in day-long clashes across the country, the leading Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo reported.
According to the police headquarters, 14 policemen have been killed across the country. Of them, 13 were killed in Sirajganj’s Enayetpur police station. One person was killed in Comilla’s Elliotganj, the paper said.
As violence escalated, the Home Ministry imposed an indefinite countrywide curfew from 6 pm on Sunday.
A Government agency has ordered the shutdown of Meta platforms Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. The mobile operators were ordered to shut down 4G mobile internet, the paper added. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hasina said those engaging in “sabotage” across the country in the name of protest are not students but terrorists and asked people to suppress them with a firm hand.
“I appeal to the countrymen to suppress these terrorists with a firm hand,” she said.
Hasina called a meeting of the National Committee on Security Affairs at Ganabhaban, the paper reported citing sources from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The meeting was attended by the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, police, RAB, BGB, and other top security officers. The meeting came as renewed violence spread to several parts of the country.
The Government has announced a three-day general holiday on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to ensure public safety amid the ongoing violent protests across the country.
Giving details, the paper said at least five people were killed in Feni, 22 including 13 policemen in Sirajganj, four in Kishoreganj, four in Dhaka, four in Bogura, three in Munshiganj, four in Magura, three in Bhola, four in Rangpur, three in Pabna, four in Sylhet, three in Cumilla, one in Joypurhat, one in Habiganj and one in Barisal.
Six Awami League leaders and activists were beaten to death and several others injured in a clash between the ruling party supporters and protesters in Narsingdi, the paper reported.
