The Bangladeshi student group leading protests, which have escalated into deadly violence, suspended demonstrations for 48 hours on Monday. The group’s leader stated they had not intended for reform to come “at the expense of so much blood.”
Initially, the protests were against politicized admission quotas for coveted government jobs but have since evolved into some of the worst unrest during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.
In response, a curfew has been imposed, and soldiers are patrolling cities across the country. Additionally, a nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has severely limited the flow of information.
“We are suspending the shutdown protests for 48 hours,” said Nahid Islam, the leader of the main protest organizer, Students Against Discrimination, from his hospital bed. Islam, who is being treated for injuries allegedly inflicted by undercover police, stated, “We demand that during this period, the government withdraws the curfew, restores the internet, and stops targeting student protesters.”
“We started this movement for reforming the quota,” Islam said. “But we did not want quota reform at the expense of so much blood, so much killing, so much damage to life and property.”
According to a count based on reports from police and hospitals, at least 163 people have died in clashes, including several police officers. Sporadic violence continued on Monday, with four people brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with bullet injuries.
Government officials have repeatedly blamed the protesters and the opposition for the unrest. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain said “at least 532” people had been arrested in the capital since the protests began, including some leaders of the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
Ali Riaz, a professor of politics and leading Bangladesh expert at Illinois State University, described the violence as “the worst massacre by any regime since independence.” He said, “The atrocities committed in the past days show that the regime is entirely dependent on brute force and has no regard for the lives of the people. These indiscriminate killings cannot be washed away by a court ruling or a government announcement.”
