Ongoing anti-quota protest in Dhaka on July 18, 2024. Bangladeshi students set fire to the country’s state broadcaster on July 18, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network seeking to calm escalating clashes that have killed at least 32 people.
| Photo Credit: AFP
The High Commission of India has cautioned Indian citizens and students in Bangladesh to “minimise” their movement beyond their “living premises”. Thursday’s cautionary note came against the backdrop of day long clashes between the police, and students and political activists who have been demanding an end to quotas in government jobs.
As part of the crackdown, Bangladeshi authorities blocked mobile internet on Thursday evening.
The Indian government has not made any official statement on the protests, which began last week and became one of the factors behind Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cutting short her visit to China.
‘BTV staffers trapped’
Protesters also surrounded and set fire to one of the major broadcasting units of State-run Bangladesh TV (BTV) in Dhaka. Local sources said that several BTV staffers were inside the television station at the time.
In a Facebook post, BTV announced, “Dangerous fire in BTV spreading fast. Seeking quick response of the fire department. A large number of people are trapped inside.” The condition of the staffers in the BTV station in Rampura remained unknown till Thursday evening as the state broadcaster went off the air and internet connectivity slowed down in Dhaka.
According to German State-run media DW, at least 19 people were killed in the clashes on Thursday.
Anti-quota protests
Protesters have been seeking equal opportunities for government jobs in Bangladesh, where special quotas are reserved for the veterans of the War of Liberation, minorities, and tribal communities. The protesters claim that a bulk of government employment is being denied to eligible candidates because of this quota system. The confrontation, which has been brewing for several weeks, erupted last week as the government initially showed an inflexible attitude. After the latest clashes, however, Bangladeshi Law Minister Anisul Huq declared that the Sheikh Hasina government was ready to hold a dialogue with the protesters.
In the meantime, Hasnat Abdullah, one of the notable figures in the anti-quota protest, indicated a hardening of the activists’ position. “No dialogue while bloodshed continues,” he said in a Facebook post. In the absence of the State broadcaster and erratic internet connections, rumours have been spreading fast about people who are unaccounted for or are unreachable by mobile phone.
The protest has come as a surprise for the Sheikh Hasina government that returned to power for the fourth successive term in January, after a controversial election boycotted by the chief Opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The BNP has displayed sympathy for the protesters, blaming the government for high inflation and unemployment.
Support for Indians
India has a sizable number of citizens who study and work in various sectors of the Bangladesh economy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India had to evacuate its citizens when Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities had declared lockdowns.
Those seeking consular support may contact the High Commission of India in Dhaka at +880-1937400591 (also available on Whatsapp); and the Assistant High Commissions at Chittagong (+880-1814654797), Rajshahi (+880-1788148696, also on Whatsapp), Sylhet (+880-1313076411), and Khulna (+880-1812817799).
