The Kashmir Dialogues
100 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in clashes that took place between police and protesters on Sunday alone. Since then the number of dead has crossed 300.
The protests began late last month over a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war against Pakistan.
Since then they have escalated dramatically, particularly over the past few days, resulting in pitched battles between students, police, and counter-protesters. Shocking scenes have emerged of vehicles and buildings on fire and mobs rampaging through the streets.
The protests died down, briefly, after the Bangladesh Supreme Court cut the reservations to 5 per cent. But it flared back up after student leaders said the government had ignored some of their demands. This triggered demands for Sheikh Hasina to quit.
Sheikh Sameer
