Death toll in Bangladesh protests rises to 105
The death toll in Bangladesh has risen to 105 as anti-government unrest spreads.
According to the Arabnews agency, hospital statistics show that the number of victims of student protests against quotas in government jobs has risen to 105.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi police announced on Friday that student protesters had attacked a prison in the central city of Narsingdi, freeing hundreds of inmates and setting the facility on fire. The developments came as police banned public gatherings in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and cut off the internet to prevent violent protests escalating in the metropolis of 20 million.
The ongoing protests in Bangladesh began with a peaceful protest on July 1 after the country’s court ruled that the government’s job quota law would be revived for descendants of so-called “freedom fighters” who fought against Pakistan in the 1971 war of independence.
Protesters announced that with the implementation of the government’s job quota law, one-third of government jobs would be allocated to allies of Bangladesh’s ruling party. Currently, 56% of government jobs in Bangladesh are under various quotas. Of this figure, 10% applies to women, 10% to vulnerable areas, 5% to indigenous communities and 1% to people with disabilities.
