Bangladeshi Students Clash During Job Quota Protests, 100 People Injured

UNSPLASH/Colin Lloyd ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - More than 100 students were injured across Bangladesh in clashes between protesters protesting the government's work quota system and groups loyal to the ruling party.

The protests marked the first significant demonstration facing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she won her fourth consecutive term in elections in January which was boycotted by the main opposition.

Thousands of anti-quade protesters and members of Hasina's Awami League student wing threw stones and fought each other with sticks and iron at universities across the country, including Dhaka, police and eyewitnesses said.

Students were injured on several campuses, police officials said.

Protesters are calling for parades and demonstrations to continue across the country demanding their demands.

"This is more than just a student movement. To suppress this movement, incitement from the highest level of government has been carried out. So, the general public must take to the streets," said Nahid Islam, coordinator of anti-coota protests.

Protests began earlier this month after the High Court ordered the government to return 30 percent of the job quota for descendants of freedom fighters.

The measure continued despite the high court of Bangladesh suspending the order for a month last week.

Protests grew even bigger on Sunday evening after Hasina refused to comply with student demands and stated the matter was already in court.

Hasina said those opposing the job quota for relatives of the freedom fighters were 'Razakar', who worked closely with Pakistani soldiers during the 1971 Independence War.

His comments caused thousands of students to leave their dormitories on the campus of Dhaka University in the middle of the night to protest.

"Upaya sedang dilakukan untuk mengubah gerahan anti kuota menjadi gerahan anti negara dengan menggunakan emosi mahasiswa muda," kata Menteri Luar Negeri Hasan Mahmud. Pemerintah tidak akan membiarkan situasi yang tidak stabil berkembang," imbuhnya.