Image Source: Munir Uz Zanab/AFP/Getty Images
On Sunday, Bangladesh experienced severe unrest, resulting in the deaths of at least 55 people and injuring hundreds more. The violence erupted as police attempted to disperse massive crowds of protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In response to the escalating chaos, the government imposed an indefinite nationwide curfew beginning at 6 p.m. (8 a.m. ET) and declared a three-day general holiday starting Monday.
The current protests are the largest challenge Hasina has faced since January, when violent demonstrations occurred following her re-election to a fourth consecutive term amid a boycott by the main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The government’s heavy-handed response to the protests has drawn criticism from both domestic and international human rights groups, who accuse Hasina’s administration of excessive force—a claim that Hasina and her officials deny.
On Sunday, student-led demonstrations aimed at forcing the government’s resignation resulted in major highways being blocked and widespread violence across the country. In a meeting with national security officials, Hasina labeled the protesters as “terrorists” and urged the public to act forcefully against them.
Violence was reported nationwide: in Sirajganj, twelve police officers were killed; in Dhaka, at least five people died amid fierce clashes; and in Munsiganj, two construction workers were killed, and 30 others were injured. In Pabna, three people were killed in a confrontation between protesters and ruling party activists. Additionally, in Bogura, three people were killed, and 30 more died across twelve other districts.
The government also imposed a second internet shutdown during the protests, disabling 4G services and affecting social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. This decision followed a confidential government memo instructing telecoms to cease 4G services, with strict penalties for non-compliance.
The unrest, which saw at least 150 people killed and thousands injured in previous protests over job quota reforms, has resumed sporadically as students demand justice for those affected. Shakil Ahmed, an academic, suggests that the situation might escalate further unless the Prime Minister addresses the growing unrest through a national government to foster greater unity.
