Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has postponed her scheduled diplomatic trips to Spain and Brazil, as announced by her press secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan to AFP. Khan stated on Saturday that the decision was made due to the current circumstances in the country.
Student demonstrations have been ongoing in Bangladesh, protesting the preferential hiring policies for government positions that favor women, residents of underdeveloped areas, and other marginalized groups, thereby undermining merit-based selection. On Friday, there were disruptions in telecommunications, and a nationwide internet blackout was maintained, as reported by NetBlocks, a global web monitoring service. Additionally, protesters have set fire to several government buildings.
Bangladeshi expatriates in the UAE have expressed growing concern over the violent confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement in their homeland, exacerbated by their inability to contact their families. The protests, which commenced on July 1, have seen university students obstructing major thoroughfares and railway tracks in large cities across the nation to highlight their grievances.
The situation escalated severely on Thursday, marking the most fatal day of the protests with 32 fatalities. By Friday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 50, according to an AFP tally based on reports from hospitals nationwide. In response to the escalating violence, a curfew was implemented, and military support was requested after the police were unable to control the situation.
