105 Deaths Reported in Bangladesh as Police Crack Down on Student Protests Against Government Job Quota
The United States and Canada have advised their citizens to avoid travel to Bangladesh amid escalating tensions and widespread student-led protests. According to AFP, 105 deaths have been reported as police crack down on demonstrations against the government job quota, despite a ban on public gatherings. On July 20, the US State Department raised its travel advisory to level four, citing significant civil unrest and warning of violent clashes in Dhaka and other areas. The US also authorised the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and their families due to safety concerns.
Canada expressed deep concern, urging a peaceful resolution to the protests. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and National Defence Minister Bill Blair both condemned the violence and called for respect for democratic freedoms and the rule of law.
In response to the unrest, the Bangladeshi government imposed a national curfew and deployed the military, with police granted “shoot-on-sight” orders for curfew violators. The curfew was briefly lifted on July 20 to allow people to run essential errands.
The protests demand an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. Protesters have set fire to several government buildings and defaced the Bangladesh police website.
Nearly 1,000 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh, with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar ensuring the safety of over 4,000 students still in the country. India has facilitated the return of students from Nepal and Bhutan and activated helplines for Indian nationals, while emphasising that the protests are an internal matter for Bangladesh.
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