bangladesh
Bangladesh has stated that a curfew will remain in effect Friday and Saturday, with a nine-hour break, as part of an escalated crackdown on those engaging in violence during student protests.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan announced at a news conference early Friday, following a meeting with law enforcement, that the curfew, which went into place last Saturday, will be maintained in Dhaka and three other cities.
He stated that the curfew in such cities will be lifted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. He added that the authorities in other cities will make the decision on curfews.
Protesting students have said that they will continue their campaign until a nine-point list of demands is met, which includes the ban on the Chhatra League, the prosecution of those guilty of protester deaths, and an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The death toll has grown to at least 204 since July 16, according to Prothom Alo, the local daily. The government has yet to release an official casualty report.
Meanwhile, police have arrested more than 5,500 people across the country, including 1,100 on Thursday, according to the newspaper.
Many of those arrested are members of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
As the protests turned violent, the government declared a total blackout last Friday, cutting off internet connections. Broadband internet access has been restored on a limited basis throughout the country, but mobile internet connectivity has yet to resume.
Students began the protests in early July, pushing for changes to the country’s quota system for government positions.
The protests erupted into a large movement after Sheikh Hasina dubbed the protestors “razakar,” a term used to describe traitors who fought for Pakistani forces during Bangladesh’s battle for independence in 1971.
