Protesters in Bangladesh Demand Resignation of PM Amid Continued Crackdown
Tens of thousands gathered at Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday, demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation amid ongoing protests, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.
Despite rain, demonstrators chanted slogans against the government, driven by recent student-led protests over job quota reforms that resulted in over 200 deaths, including 32 children, according to UNICEF.
Political analysts criticize the government’s violent response and blame-shifting. While most protests remained peaceful, violence erupted in Uttara when ruling party supporters attacked protesters. In Chattogram and Sylhet, thousands marched after Jummah prayers, with police using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, arresting at least 10 individuals.
The Bangladesh government’s internet shutdown on July 18, 2024, in response to student protests severely impacted nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. The loss of mobile services disrupted food distribution from the World Food Programme and hindered communication with family abroad. Refugees reported difficulties in accessing aid and maintaining livelihoods. Human rights advocates criticized the shutdown, highlighting its role in suppressing information about abuses and exacerbating the already dire conditions within the camps.
