Bangladesh: At least 135 killed in police firings, arson; situation remains tense

The country is facing a fluid political situation with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigning from her post in the wake of mounting protests

Published: Tue 6 Aug 2024, 9:22 AM

Photo: Reuters

With police firings, mob beatings, and arson across the country, at least 135 people were killed in Bangladesh on Monday during unrest, according to Dhaka Tribune.

The country announced on Monday that the clashes between demonstrators and members of the Awami League claimed the lives of at least 96 people in police firings.

After fighting broke out between police and miscreants on Monday, at least 18 people were killed on the outskirts of the capital in the Savar and Dhamrai regions.

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Meanwhile, 50 more individuals sustained injuries as police opened fire with tear gas and bullets. Locals reported that multiple journalists were also there amongst those shot, according to Dhaka Tribune.

At least 10 people were killed and many others were injured in the capital's Uttara on Monday afternoon after some individuals wearing civilian clothes reportedly opened fire on protesters. The shots were fired from the Uttara East police station.

In response, hundreds of enraged people surrounded the police station and set it on fire.

As violence and unrest gripped Bangladesh, 37 dead bodies arrived at Dhaka Medical College Hospital from 11am to 8 pm on Monday, local media, Prothom Alo reported.

Apart from this, the bullet-ridden bodies of three unidentified persons arrived at the hospital. It is not known where they were shot.

Prothom Alo, citing Dhaka Medical College Hospital sources, reported that 500 people were brought to the hospital with various injuries including gunshot wounds. Seventy of them have been admitted to hospital.

The eyewitnesses said that the protestors attacked the Jatrabari police station in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, in Sreepur, Gazipur, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel opened fire on miscreants who had blocked two BGB trucks. At least six people were shot. Inside the cars were at least eighty BGB personnel. The incident happened on Monday at around noon.

People from all walks of life marched towards Chittagong, distributing sweets in celebration, after reports surfaced that Sheikh Hasina had departed from Bangladesh, Dhaka Tribune reported.

A joyous procession began at 3pm (local time), spreading through Muradpur, Agrabad, Dewanhat, Chowkbazar, GEC, Sholshahar, Kazir Dewri, Jamalkhan, Bahaddarhat, and every part of the city, the report said.

Bangladesh is facing a fluid political situation with the country's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigning from her post in the wake of mounting protests. The protests, majorly by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, took the shape of anti-government protests.

Bangladesh PM Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening after tendering her resignation in the wake of mounting protests in Dhaka.

It is not clear if the Bangladeshi Prime Minister will stay in Delhi or move to another location. Reports in media outlets in Bangladesh have speculated that Sheikh Hasina may proceed to London.

Meanwhile in Dhaka, the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have proposed an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, in a bid to address Bangladesh's ongoing challenge.

This announcement was made in a video message released early hours of Tuesday by key student leaders Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Bakar Mazumdar. President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday night gave his nod to form an interim government to run the country.

Earlier on Monday night, Nahid had announced that an outline for an interim government would be formulated within the next 24 hours.

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