Bangladesh closes schools after student protests turn deadly

Students clashed with police and a ruling party-affiliated student group in Dhaka, leading to fatalities and injuries.

Bangladesh announced on Tuesday that all educational institutions across the country would be closed indefinitely following clashes between students protesting the quota system in public service jobs and police, which killed at least six people and injured dozens more.

The decision was made in response to violent protests by students protesting a court decision to reinstate quotas for government jobs, which were abolished in 2018, who clashed with police in several cities as well as a ruling party-affiliated student group in the capital Dhaka.

The Education Ministry announced the closure of the country's high schools, higher secondary educational institutions, and polytechnic institutes until further notice after nationwide student protests against the job quota distribution system in public government sectors.

The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, the country's university regulatory body, announced in a separate statement late Tuesday that all universities and medical colleges would be closed indefinitely.

In a separate statement, the National University, which is the government authority in charge of overseeing colleges throughout the country, also announced the closure of educational institutions.

Earlier, two people were killed during clashes in Dhaka between protesters and the pro-ruling party's student wing, the Bangladesh Students' League.

They were declared dead after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police inspector Md Bachchu Mia confirmed to the media.

They were declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police inspector Md Bachchu Mia told the media.

However, the identities of the two deceased people could not be determined immediately.

Abu Sayeed, 25, one of the coordinators and a student at Begum Rokeya University in the southern Rangour district, was killed during clashes with the police, additional commissioner Uttam Kumar Pal told Anadolu.

Many more were injured, the official said, adding that 22 police personnel were also wounded and the situation remains volatile.

Three people died as a result of their injuries, including a Chattogram College student and two pedestrians who were shot during clashes, Mohammed Taslim Uddin, director of Chittagong Medical College Hospital confirmed to Anadolu.

He did not go into more detail about the deceased. However, he said 18 people were injured in the incident and are being treated.

Thousands of students have been demonstrating since July after a court reinstated quotas for government jobs, which were abolished in 2018.

The system reserves 56% of government job entry positions for certain demographics and classes. Of the current 56% quota, 30% of all jobs in the public sector are reserved for the families of those who participated in the 1971 liberation war.

The students are demanding that quotas for civil service jobs be abolished and given to candidates based on merit.

The peaceful protests turned violent on Monday when members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party allegedly attacked demonstrators, leaving over 200 injured.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital Director Md. Asaduzzaman said 234 students were treated for injuries, while eight of them were admitted to hospitals.

Following violent clashes overnight, students blocked major roads and railway lines across the capital Dhaka and brought it to a standstill.

Tamikul Islam, sub-inspector at Banani police station, told Anadolu that students blocked roads and railways in the Mohakhali neighborhood, disrupting traffic movement.

Students in some other cities also staged similar protests.

Meanwhile, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), a paramilitary force responsible for border security, have been deployed in Dhaka, Chittagong, Bogra, and Rajshahi districts to maintain law and order, which are at the center of the ongoing quota reform movement, the BGB said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Tensions with US

Dhaka also criticized the US over "unverified" claims that two people had died during student protests in the country.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on Monday said Washington was aware of the student protests in Bangladesh that “killed two and attacked and injured hundreds.”

The Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry expressed its "disappointment" over the comment, saying that "the use of unverified information to make such baseless claims can fuel violence and undermine the Bangladesh government’s efforts to maintain a peaceful environment for non-violent protests or movements."