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Shortly after the nationwide curfew was relaxed by the Bangladeshi authorities, protesters took to the streets and violent clashes erupted between the pro and anti-government groups across the country. Many protesters are now demanding Bangladesh’s PM Sheikh Hasina’s resignation read more
 "Protesters demand PM Hasina's resignation as death toll in fresh clashes rises")
Activists clash with the police as they stage a song march to remember victims of the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. File Image: AP
Soon after the Bangladeshi authorities relaxed the curfew imposed across the country, protesters took to the streets to conduct a fresh set of demonstrations. The recent clashes also witnessed loss of lives as eight people died within a span of days.
Tensions are escalating even further as both the anti-government protesters and the governing Awami League are set to hold rallies across the country. Amid the chaos, the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for an emergency meeting with the university vice-chancellors and college principals on Saturday night to discuss the student demonstrations.
The new clashes have already led to the loss of several lives. While two people died earlier this week, the leader of one of the protesting groups died on Sunday. The leader Mehedi Hasan was killed in clashes between the protesters and the police and the Awami League men at Parnanduali in Magura, Prothom Alo reported. Another person was killed in Rangpur.
Protesters demand PM’s resignation
The demonstrations that took the country by storm have already seen the death of more than 200 people. Not only this, at least 10,000 people have been detained by the Bangladeshi police in just two weeks.
As the demonstrations intensify, Students Against Discrimination, a group behind the anti-government demonstrations, has called on Bangladesh’s Prime Minister to step down. On Sunday, the protesting groups joined hands to conduct a nationwide disobedience movement, urging fellow citizens to not pay taxes on any utility bills.
The protesting students also called for the shutdown of factories and public transport. Meanwhile, the supporters of Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League also held marches across the country on Sunday. The whole saga started last month after students took to the streets to raise their voices against the reservation of many civil service jobs for relatives of the veterans of Bangladesh’s independence war with Pakistan in 1971.
While most of the quotas have now been scaled back by the country’s Supreme Court, the students have been staging demonstrations demanding justice for those who have been killed or injured. They are also asking Hasina to resign
Army take their stance
Earlier, the prime minister offered an unconditional dialogue with the student leaders, saying she wanted the violence to end. “I want to sit with the agitating students of the movement and listen to them. I want no conflict," she said. However, the students outrightly rejected her offer and continued with their demands.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman conducted an ‘Officers Address’ at the Helmet Auditorium in the army headquarters in which he maintained that the army will always “stand by the people”.
“Bangladesh Army has always stood by the people and will continue to do so for the interest of people and in any need of the state," Gen Zaman said on Saturday, Prothom Alo reported. Last month, Hasina called the military to restore order after several police stations and state buildings were set on fire during the protests.
With inputs from agencies.
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