Bangladesh faces a fifth day without internet as the government declared Monday a public holiday. This follows violent protests against a controversial job quota, which reserved 30% of government positions for relatives of veterans of Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. The Supreme Court, however, reduced this quota to 5% on Sunday, leading to an apparent calm in Dhaka and other areas.
The unrest has resulted in over a hundred deaths, though official figures remain undisclosed. Security forces, including military personnel, are patrolling key locations. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, leading the protests, demands the restoration of internet services and an end to the curfew within 48 hours. "We are issuing an ultimatum for 48 hours to stop the digital crackdown," said Hasnat Abdullah, the movement's coordinator.
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, student leaders are determined to continue their protests if their demands are unmet. They insist on the withdrawal of security from universities and the reopening of dormitories. Key organizer Nahid Islam highlighted the crippled communication due to the internet shutdown and accused authorities of attempting to fracture the unity among protesters.
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The US Embassy in Dhaka described the situation as "extremely volatile" and warned Americans to avoid the area. This upheaval challenges Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, which has faced significant opposition since January elections boycotted by main opposition groups. Protesters have railed against the quota system as discriminatory and designed to benefit Hasina's supporters; they are pushing instead for a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota approach and argued that veterans deserve the highest respect regardless of the party they side with. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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