In the wake of ongoing tensions, the Bangladesh Army and paramilitary forces intensified their presence on the streets of Dhaka on Monday, as police donned riot gear to maintain order.
This heightened security came after a faction of student protestors called for renewed demonstrations, despite a recent withdrawal of protests by their coordinators.
"We have mobilised forces to prevent fresh violence," stated a police official, as military and police armoured personnel carriers patrolled key areas of the capital, accompanied by the Border Guard Bangladesh.
The call for renewed protests arose after six student leaders, speaking to the media overnight, declared an end to their demonstrations.
Their withdrawal followed the government's announcement that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration had met their demands for reforms to the job quota system, responding to a recent Supreme Court ruling.
On July 21, the Appellate Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court mandated substantial changes to the quota system, reducing reserved positions from the existing 56 per cent to just seven per cent. In alignment with this order, the government issued a Gazette notification indicating that 93 per cent of job vacancies would now be open to candidates based on merit.
“Our main demand for logical reforms to the government job quota system has been met,” stated student coordinator Nahid Islam in a video message, urging for educational institutions to resume operations.
However, the situation remains fraught, as another group of students has voiced their discontent, claiming that their leaders were coerced into announcing the withdrawal while under police custody.
Moreover, the government has disregarded an ultimatum from the protestors demanding the release of their leaders and an apology for the violence that resulted in numerous deaths.
Last week, Bangladesh was under a nationwide curfew as the government deployed the army to suppress unrest that claimed over 200 lives across the nation.
The protests, which initially erupted among university and college students, quickly evolved into a broader movement against Hasina’s administration.
The unrest has resulted in thousands of injuries, including among police forces, and significant damage to government property.
The mass-circulation newspaper, 'Prothom Alo,' reported at least 210 deaths, with 113 victims being children and many others youths.
Since the onset of the protests, authorities have arrested approximately 9,000 individuals nationwide. Government officials have attempted to distance the peaceful student movement from the violence, attributing the chaos to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party and student activists associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who boycotted the January 7 elections.
The ongoing unrest has severely impacted Bangladesh's economy, with the Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) estimating losses around USD 10 billion and rising.
Mahbubul Alam, president of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), revealed that the garment industry alone faced losses amounting to Bangladeshi Taka 6.4 million (approximately USD 5,45,167).
Authorities have recently restored internet services after a 10-day suspension of both mobile internet and key social media platforms as the situation stabilised following the disbandment of protests.
However, the resumption of mobile internet has not alleviated the plight of tens of thousands of F-commerce sellers who rely on Facebook for their businesses, as many are still unable to resume operations.
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