Over 400 Bangladeshis sustained injuries during ongoing protests concerning quotas for highly sought-after government positions, according to police and protestors on Tuesday. This followed violent confrontations between opposing student factions on the preceding day.
Protesters claimed they were conducting peaceful demonstrations on Monday at two universities in Dhaka when they were assaulted by student supporters of the ruling party, equipped with sticks, stones, machetes, and Molotov cocktails. This sudden surge in violence aimed to disrupt a steadfast student movement that has disregarded appeals from Bangladesh's prime minister and the highest court to resume classes.
Police inspector Bacchu Mia informed AFP that "297 individuals were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital" post-incident, with 12 requiring hospitalization. Additionally, 111 protesters at Jahangirnagar University received treatment at a campus medical clinic and a nearby hospital. "More than 100 students were treated at our center," stated Shamsur Rahman, head of the Jahangirnagar University medical center, to AFP. Yousuf Ali, a doctor at Enam Medical College Hospital, reported treating 11 patients, with four, including a professor injured by rubber bullets, still hospitalized.
For weeks, students have been conducting almost daily protests, demanding the abolition of the quota system for government jobs and its replacement with a merit-based approach. This system allocates over half of well-compensated civil service positions to specific groups, such as the offspring of heroes from Bangladesh's 1971 war of liberation against Pakistan. Critics argue that this benefits the children of pro-government factions supporting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who secured her fourth consecutive term in January following an election devoid of genuine opposition.
Riot police last week used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrations, injuring at least 11 students in Comilla. Monday's incidents marked the most severe violence since the campaign commenced, with activists from Jahangirnagar University alleging brutal attacks by members of the ruling Awami League's student wing. Amnesty International condemned the violence, urging Bangladesh to "immediately ensure the safety of all peaceful protestors." US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also criticized the "violence against peaceful protesters." Students from campuses across the nation have pledged to restart demonstrations later on Tuesday.
