Bangladesh protests LIVE Updates: Protesters call for march to Dhaka in defiance of curfew; at least 100 killed in clashes

Bengali daily Prothom Alo reports that police has fired tear gas shells and sound grenade to disperse a group of protesters gathered at Shaheed Minar (a national monument) in Dhaka around 10 a.m. In Dhaka’s Jatrabari Thana area too people have come to the streets in high numbers and heavy police presence is also there to stop them from marching further.

A new report based on data given by police officials, doctors shows that the total death toll in Bangladesh till August 4 stands at 300. August 4 saw the most deadliest attack since the beginning of this protest as nearly 94 people got killed at various demonstrations sites. - AFP

Bangladesh braced for another tense day as protestors asked the general public to join a “Long March to Dhaka” on Monday, a day after nearly 100 people died in fierce clashes between demonstrators demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the ruling party supporters in different parts of the country. - PTI

Protesting students in Bangladesh have called for a march to the capital Dhaka on August 5 in defiance of a nationwide curfew to press Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign, a day after deadly clashes in the South Asian country killed nearly 100 people.

Sunday’s death toll, which included at least 13 policemen, was the highest for a single day from any protests in Bangladesh’s recent history, surpassing the 67 deaths reported on July 19 when students took to the streets against the quotas. - Reuters

The United Nations’ human rights chief Volker Turk said on Sunday the “shocking violence” in Bangladesh must end, as he urged the government to stop targeting peaceful protesters.

Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina clashed with government supporters Sunday, with scores killed in one of the deadliest days since demonstrations began.

“The shocking violence in Bangladesh must stop,” Mr. Turk said in a statement. 

- AFP

Demonstrators are demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation following protests last month that began with students calling for an end to a quota system for government jobs. Those demonstrations escalated into violence that left more than 200 dead.

As the renewed violence raged, Ms. Hasina said the protesters who engaged in “sabotage” and destruction were no longer students but criminals, and she said the people should deal with them with iron hands.

The India High Commission in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna are taking efforts for the safer return of Indian nationals, following the recent violent protests in Bangladesh.

As of now, a total of 778 Indian students have returned to India through various land ports. In addition, around 200 students have returned home by regular flight services through Dhaka and Chittagong airports.

A report from the vpnMentor research team has found that demand for VPNs in Bangladesh shot up by 5016% in the past week amidst a five-day internet shutdown that was imposed after violent protests over the employment quota. The study showed that starting July 22, the demand for VPNs increased dramatically, peaking on July 25 three days later.

The numbers started falling on July 25 after internet services were restored but still showed an increase by 2500% until July 29.

VPNs help people bypass firewalls by masking their IP addresses and routing the internet connection through servers in other countries to access websites that would have been restricted during the ban.

The protesters chanted anti-government slogans, such as “Justice, Justice, We want justice” and “Resignation, resignation, Sheikh Hasina’s resignation,” as the wave of protest widened beyond students. Elsewhere in Dhaka, hundreds of others including students, parents, doctors and teachers rallied. 

As protests continued to spread, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 3 offered to talk with student leaders, but a coordinator refused in a Facebook post.

Nahid Islam, a leading protest coordinator, wrote: “One cannot ask a killer government for justice or sit for talks with them. The time to ask forgiveness has passed. When there was still time, the government conducted block raids to arrest and torture students.”

Bangladesh is reeling from days of violence as protestors took to the streets, attacked government buildings and vehicles to demonstrate against the quota system, and the Hasina government ordered a crackdown with army and paramilitary forces who were given shoot at sight orders. 

Speaking to The Hindu from Paris in this exclusive interview, Nobel Laureate and Grameen Bank Founder Professor Muhammad Yunus appealed for the international community, particularly India, to reach out to PM Hasina to call for calm.

Mr. Yunus, a political rival of Ms. Hasina himself faces many cases of misappropriation and labour law violations that he says are politically motivated. He says another election may be warranted for the restoration of democracy in the country.

The country’s leading Bengali-language daily newspaper, Prothom Alo, said at least 95 people, including at least 14 police officers, died in the violence. The Channel 24 news outlet reported at least 85 deaths.

The military announced that a new curfew was in effect on August 4 evening for an indefinite period, including in the capital, Dhaka, and other divisional and district headquarters. The government had earlier imposed a curfew with some exceptions in Dhaka and elsewhere.

Nearly 100 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and hundreds injured on August 4 in fierce clashes between protesters demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the ruling party supporters in different parts of Bangladesh, forcing authorities to cut off mobile internet and enforce a nationwide curfew for an indefinite period.

The clashes broke out Sunday 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 over a job quota system faced opposition from the supporters of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.