Starmer faces an investigation after 'neglecting to disclose' that Labour donor Alli covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations
world10 hours ago
The death toll in ongoing Bangladeshi student protests over a quota system for civil service posts reached 50 on Friday afternoon, according to an AFP count of victims from hospitals around the country.
"We've got five bodies here. They were killed today," Bacchu Mia of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital told AFP on Friday, following 45 other deaths tallied around the country since Tuesday.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Private broadcaster Independent Television said 702 people had been injured during Thursday's clashes including 104 police officers and 30 journalists.
The nationwide protests are the biggest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected to a fourth term in office, and are fuelled by high unemployment among the youth, with nearly a fifth of the 170 million population out of work or education.
The protests began on July 1 with university pupils blocking major roads and railway lines in big cities around the country to draw attention to their demands.
They have continued nearly every day since, with high school students also joining the rallies, despite Bangladesh's top court suspending the quota system on July 10 for one month and urging demonstrators to return to class.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi expats in the UAE were growing anxious as violent clashes between protesters and police raged back home. Worse, communication lines were disrupted and Internet was shut down nationwide.
The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.
Demonstrations intensified after Prime Minister Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, refused to meet the protesters' demands.
The protests turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party across the country.
(With inputs from Reuters)
ALSO READ:
Starmer faces an investigation after 'neglecting to disclose' that Labour donor Alli covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations
world10 hours ago
China says Manila's actions infringe on its sovereignty
world10 hours ago
In the Czech Republic, a quarter of a million homes were without power due to high winds and rain
world11 hours ago
US-educated Jaafar Hassan, now head of King Abdullah's office and a former planning minister, is expected to replace Khasawneh
world11 hours ago
The group called on RSF and SAF to take action against 'perpetrators of war crimes and violations of international law, including international humanitarian law'
world11 hours ago
Loud booms were also heard in the region, which the military said came from missile interceptors that had been launched
world13 hours ago
The blast occurred as the victims were trying to retrieve fuel that was leaking from the truck
world1 day ago
MWL Secretary General stressed the need for unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by opening all crossings
world1 day ago