Bangladesh anti-government protests see at least 90 people killed | BBC News
BBC News- 170 views
- 5 Aug 2024
At least 90 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in clashes between police and tens of thousands of ...
Now to Bangladesh, where an indefinite nationwide curfew is in force as unrest between police and anti-government protesters continues. At least 90 people were killed on Sunday. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators in several parts of the country. Supporters of the Prime Minister, Sheik Hasina, clashed with demonstrators who were demanding she resign. Student protest leaders have declared a campaign of civil disobedience, urging people not to pay taxes or utility bills. They're also calling for the shutdown of factories and public transport. Protest began in July when student leaders demanded the government to abolish a quota in civil service jobs, which favored relatives of those with military backgrounds. Well, that provision has now been scaled back, but those taking to the streets say they're also concerned about human rights in the country, accusing the government of violently suppressing dissent and wrongly jailing members of the opposition. Allegations the government denies. I've been speaking to DC-based Bangladeshi journalist, Mushfikul Faizal Ansari, who also served as the Assistant Press Secretary to Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, Khalida Zia, the Chair of the Opposition, Bangladesh National Party. What are the wider concerns that people have in Bangladesh, why else are people taking to the streets?
Basically, they don't rely on Prime Minister's remarks and comment because always when Prime Minister declared something, she's not maintaining or she is not keeping her worse. For instance, the court orders, if you can refer the Supreme Court order, it's also controlled by the court because this problem is instigated by the court. For instance, I can give how the court is working in Bangladesh. When attorneys very recently filed a petition just two days before not to shoot to the students as Prime Minister declared shoot on site order. But the court denied to accept this. That means this court is given order to show to the students that protested. This is how our courts works in Bangladesh.
Just to explain to people who aren't familiar with the politics of Bangladesh in a more simple way, perhaps. I've reported from Bangladesh. I've spoken to people who accused the government of stifling free speech and cracking down violently, in some cases, on dissent. Is that a wider concern that the students also fear then as well?
Yeah, absolutely. This protest is for the the quota system, abolish the quota system for the merit basis, but it's more larger. If you can recall, this is the fourth consecutive term, Prime Minister is in power without any mandate. The people are fighting for their rights, and whenever they are coming for their rights in the street, Prime Minister and our party treating them as criminal, as terrorists, this rhetoric. But these students from the secular university, they are fighting for for their rights to establish their rights in the quota system. Now their demand is one point because they don't rely the Prime Minister commitment, and she's broken all the time.
Okay, just very briefly, if I may ask you, they are calling for Sheik Hasina to resign. She won in an election earlier this year, although the opposition did not contest that election, so many debate the legitimacy of it. Do you think her position is more unstable now?
Of course, because the election is recognized as shame election. The international community that rejected this election, non-participatory, and it's a shame election. Obviously, the one point, the students demanding, obviously, she has to resign. This is the only solution. In our country, we have that experience, the non-party caretaker government system. In this circumstance, they are coming to this and they're taking the responsibility. People, students are demanding now. All people people are demanding one point. Internet shut down in Bangladesh.