DHAKA: Bangladeshi students set fire to the national state broadcaster on Thursday as protests over civil service hiring rules intensified, raising the death toll to at least 39and over 2,500 injured as violence engulfed Dhaka on Thursday. Protesting students set fire to the state broadcaster’s headquarters, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's televised plea for calm.
State TV Headquarters Ablaze
University students, demonstrating against the reservation system in public sector jobs, have been rallying for over a week. Their protests intensified, leading to the siege of the Bangladesh Television Bhaban in Dhaka’s Rampura area. Protesters damaged the building’s facade and set several parked vehicles on fire. Many staff, including journalists, were initially trapped inside but were later safely evacuated, according to a broadcaster’s Facebook post.
Prime Minister’s Appeal for Peace
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina condemned the violence and promised punishment for those responsible, regardless of political affiliation. Despite her appeal for calm and the indefinite closure of schools and universities, clashes between protesters and police worsened. In the Uttara area, police used rubber bullets, tear gas, and sound grenades to disperse the crowds. The violence resulted in 25 deaths on Thursday, in addition to seven earlier in the week.
Protesters’ Demands
Protesters are calling for an end to the quota system that reserves over half of civil service jobs for specific groups, including the children of veterans from the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. Nazmul Hassan, a protest coordinator, demanded the immediate cancellation of the quota system, emphasizing that it hinders the recruitment of meritorious students.
Government's Response
Law Minister Anisul Huq announced the government's decision to engage in dialogue with the protesting students. Prime Minister Hasina entrusted him and Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury with the task. A judicial investigation committee, led by High Court judge Khondkar Diliruzzaman, has been formed to investigate the killings. However, Students Against Discrimination, the main protest group, expressed skepticism about the government's sincerity, dismissing the prime minister's words as insincere.
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