<p>More than 100 people are reported dead in Bangladesh as student protestors stormed a prison and set fire to the state broadcaster's building among dozens of arson-related incidents this week in nearly half of the South Asian nation's 64 districts. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's office late on Friday (July 19) imposed a nationwide curfew and deployed&nbsp;military forces to keep order after days of deadly student protests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A communications blackout remains imposed across the country, with mobile internet access and social media blocked. A&nbsp;tally by news agency AFP&nbsp;shows the death toll at 105 at the time of filing this report.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-student-protests-demonstrators-storm-prison-free-hundreds-of-inmates-742441">Bangladesh student protests: Demonstrators storm prison, free hundreds of inmates</a></strong></p>

<p>The protests have emerged as a defining&nbsp;challenge to Prime Minister&nbsp;Hasina's government after 15 years in office.</p>

<p>"A heavy-handed response from the police and members of the ruling Awami League’s student wing have only brought out more students onto the streets. The country seems to be dangerously poised." Crisis Group’s Asia Director, Pierre Prakash told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The protests in Bangladesh erupted in the wake of a June 5 ruling by the Bangladesh High Court which reinstated the 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters and their descendants in government jobs. The quota system, as it's called in Bangladesh, was repealed in 2018 after a massive agitation led by students and teachers.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Bangladesh quota protests: Massive showdown between cops and protesters in Dhaka</strong></p>

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<p>Prime Minister Hasina, on Sunday (July 14), further added fuel to the fire by referring to the protestors as '<em>razakars</em>', a derogatory Bangla word for purported 'traitors'&nbsp;— who are historically understood to have remained either indifferent or opposed to Bangladesh's liberation from&nbsp;Pakistani rule in 1971.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Hasina's subsequent appeals for peace after July 14 have failed to quell the protests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The protests reflect deep political and economic tensions in Bangladesh. For several years Bangladesh's economy has been struggling and youth unemployment is a serious problem. But the quota system and the government's failed response to the protests are also a product of the country's hyper-partisan politics. Frustration has been mounting in Bangladesh because the country has not had a genuinely competitive national election for more than 15 years. With no real alternative at the ballot box, discontented Bangladeshis have few options besides street protests to make their voices heard," Prakash said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Students say they are determined to press on with protests despite Prime Minister Hasina's national address earlier this week on the now-offline state broadcaster seeking to calm the unrest.</p>

<p>According to broadcaster Independent Television, more than 700 people had been wounded throughout Thursday (July 18) including 104 police officers and 30 journalists.</p>


More than 100 people are reported dead in Bangladesh as student protestors stormed a prison and set fire to the state broadcaster's building among dozens of arson-related incidents this week in nearly half of the South Asian nation's 64 districts.

More than 100 people are reported dead in Bangladesh as student protestors stormed a prison and set fire to the state broadcaster's building among dozens of arson-related incidents this week in nearly half of the South Asian nation's 64 districts. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's office late on Friday (July 19) imposed a nationwide curfew and deployed military forces to keep order after days of deadly student protests. A communications blackout remains imposed across the country, with mobile internet access and social media blocked. A tally by news agency AFP shows the death toll at 105 at the time of filing this report. Also read | Bangladesh student protests: Demonstrators storm prison, free hundreds of inmates The protests have emerged as a defining challenge to Prime Minister Hasina's government after 15 years in office. "A heavy-handed response from the police and members of the ruling Awami League’s student wing have only brought out more students onto the streets. The country seems to be dangerously poised." Crisis Group’s Asia Director, Pierre Prakash told WION. The protests in Bangladesh erupted in the wake of a June 5 ruling by the Bangladesh High Court which reinstated the 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters and their descendants in government jobs. The quota system, as it's called in Bangladesh, was repealed in 2018 after a massive agitation led by students and teachers. Also watch | Bangladesh quota protests: Massive showdown between cops and protesters in Dhaka × Prime Minister Hasina, on Sunday (July 14), further added fuel to the fire by referring to the protestors as 'razakars', a derogatory Bangla word for purported 'traitors' — who are historically understood to have remained either indifferent or opposed to Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistani rule in 1971. Prime Minister Hasina's subsequent appeals for peace after July 14 have failed to quell the protests. "The protests reflect deep political and economic tensions in Bangladesh. For several years Bangladesh's economy has been struggling and youth unemployment is a serious problem. But the quota system and the government's failed response to the protests are also a product of the country's hyper-partisan politics. Frustration has been mounting in Bangladesh because the country has not had a genuinely competitive national election for more than 15 years. With no real alternative at the ballot box, discontented Bangladeshis have few options besides street protests to make their voices heard," Prakash said. Students say they are determined to press on with protests despite Prime Minister Hasina's national address earlier this week on the now-offline state broadcaster seeking to calm the unrest. According to broadcaster Independent Television, more than 700 people had been wounded throughout Thursday (July 18) including 104 police officers and 30 journalists.

Bangladesh under curfew, blackout as over 100 killed in anti-quota protests

<p>Students in Bangladesh set fire to the country's state broadcaster headquarters on Thursday (July 18). The escalation occurred a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network while appealing for peace as fierce clashes continue to take a heavy toll on Bangladeshi lives and their lifelines.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the time of filing this report, at least 32 people were reported dead in the clashes.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Bangladesh student protests: What is happening?</strong></h2>

<p>On Thursday (July 18), hundreds of protesters demanding reform of civil service hiring rules overwhelmed the riot police, who had fired at them with rubber bullets. The mob of students was seen chasing&nbsp;the retreating officers to state broadcaster BTV headquarters in the capital Dhaka.</p>

<p>The crowd then set ablaze the network's reception building, and dozens of vehicles parked outside, a BTV official told news agency AFP.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Bangladesh protests: US urges Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful protest</strong></p>

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<p>The building was later evacuated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely amid escalating demonstrations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The premier appeared on the broadcaster on Wednesday night to condemn the "murder" of protesters and vow that those responsible will be punished regardless of their political affiliation.</p>

<p>But violence has worsened despite her appeal for calm as police again attempted to break up demonstrations with rubber bullets and tear gas volleys.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We've got seven dead here," an official at Uttara Crescent Hospital in the capital Dhaka, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The first two were students with rubber bullet injuries. The other five had gunshot injuries."</p>

<p>Nearly 1,000 others had been treated at the hospital for injuries sustained during clashes with police, the official said, adding that many had rubber bullet wounds.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Why are Bangladeshi students protesting?</strong></h2>

<p>Students are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service posts for specific groups, including children of veterans from the country's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.</p>

<p>Critics say the scheme benefits children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh&nbsp;Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January.</p>

<p>Bangladeshis have reported widespread mobile internet outages around the country on Thursday, two days after internet providers cut off access to Facebook, the protest campaign's key organising platform.</p>

<p>Apart from&nbsp;police crackdowns, demonstrators and students allied to Sheikh Hasina's&nbsp;ruling Awami League have also battled each other on the streets with bricks and bamboo rods.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Students in Bangladesh set fire to the country's state broadcaster headquarters on Thursday (July 18). The escalation occurred a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network while appealing for peace as fierce clashes continue to take a heavy toll on Bangladeshi lives and their lifelines.

Students in Bangladesh set fire to the country's state broadcaster headquarters on Thursday (July 18). The escalation occurred a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network while appealing for peace as fierce clashes continue to take a heavy toll on Bangladeshi lives and their lifelines. At the time of filing this report, at least 32 people were reported dead in the clashes. Bangladesh student protests: What is happening? On Thursday (July 18), hundreds of protesters demanding reform of civil service hiring rules overwhelmed the riot police, who had fired at them with rubber bullets. The mob of students was seen chasing the retreating officers to state broadcaster BTV headquarters in the capital Dhaka. The crowd then set ablaze the network's reception building, and dozens of vehicles parked outside, a BTV official told news agency AFP. Also watch | Bangladesh protests: US urges Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful protest × The building was later evacuated. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely amid escalating demonstrations. The premier appeared on the broadcaster on Wednesday night to condemn the "murder" of protesters and vow that those responsible will be punished regardless of their political affiliation. But violence has worsened despite her appeal for calm as police again attempted to break up demonstrations with rubber bullets and tear gas volleys. "We've got seven dead here," an official at Uttara Crescent Hospital in the capital Dhaka, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told AFP. "The first two were students with rubber bullet injuries. The other five had gunshot injuries." Nearly 1,000 others had been treated at the hospital for injuries sustained during clashes with police, the official said, adding that many had rubber bullet wounds. Why are Bangladeshi students protesting? Students are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service posts for specific groups, including children of veterans from the country's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. Critics say the scheme benefits children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January. Bangladeshis have reported widespread mobile internet outages around the country on Thursday, two days after internet providers cut off access to Facebook, the protest campaign's key organising platform. Apart from police crackdowns, demonstrators and students allied to Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League have also battled each other on the streets with bricks and bamboo rods. (With inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh anti-quota protests push nation on edge as death toll rises to 32

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Bangladesh under curfew, blackout as over 100 killed in anti-quota protests

Bangladesh anti-quota protests push nation on edge as death toll rises to 32