Bangladesh court makes law change that sparked massive student protests

The students respond that the protests are continuing.

Last week, hundreds were injured and killed in student clashes against authorities in Bangladesh.

The students demonstrated against desperate working conditions and extremely high youth unemployment.

The controversial law had previously reserved 30 percent of all public posts in the country for family members of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.

This law is invalid, and the highest court in the country has ruled it invalid, but it has not been completely repealed.

The Sunday order said that from now on, 5 percent of all public positions will be included in this quota.

Nearly 20% of Bangladesh's 170 million people are unemployed, and among young people under 24, unemployment exceeds 40%.

Protests continue

The government extended the curfew while the session was in session.

Soldiers patrolled the streets of the capital, Dhaka.

Students say the protests are continuing.

However, a spokesman for the student group leading the protests, Students Against Discrimination, said the demonstrations would continue.

“We will not stop the protests until the government issues an order that reflects our demands,” the spokesman said.

curfew

According to unconfirmed reports, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on the military to restore peace and order in the country, following student protests.

On Thursday, 100 people were killed and about 700 injured during the student uprisings.

Bangladeshi soldiers patrol the deserted streets of the capital Dhaka during a curfew on Saturday.

The curfew is aimed at quelling deadly student-led protests against government-set job quotas, Reuters reported.

Internet and phone are off

The army was deployed to quell the riots, which have now spread to nearly half of the country.

In the past week, clashes between students and security forces in the capital, Dhaka, have become increasingly violent.

Authorities shut down the internet and parts of the phone network in an attempt to prevent students from mobilising, and a ban was imposed on all public gatherings.

Telephone connections abroad have also been cut off, and the country's media websites are not being updated.

Human rights groups accuse Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government of suppressing critical voices and being behind extrajudicial executions of opposition figures.

According to hospital sources, at least half of all those killed in the past week were shot by police.

“The ever-increasing death toll is a horrific sign of the absolute intolerance shown by the Bangladeshi authorities towards those who protest,” says Babu Ram Pant of Amnesty International.