Dhaka, Aug 5 (Representative) Bangladesh has imposed a second internet blackout in three weeks following a new wave of anti-government protests that have resulted in the deaths of at least 90 people and left hundreds injured on Monday, media reports said. According to BBC news, the protests erupted in Dhaka and other cities as student leaders launched a civil disobedience campaign demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Entrances to Dhaka have been blocked, and army units, along with police, have been deployed across the city. The government has declared a three-day holiday, closing businesses and courts. The protests, which began with demands to abolish quotas in civil service jobs, have expanded into a broader anti-government movement. The death toll now exceeds 280, with many fatalities attributed to security forces. “Thirteen police officers were killed on Sunday when thousands of people attacked a police station in Sirajganj,” police reported. Both police and supporters of the governing party have been seen firing live ammunition at protesters. The authorities have also used tear gas and rubber bullets. On Monday, mobile operators received orders to shut off 4G services, and “NetBlocks, a watchdog that monitors internet freedom, reported a near-total national internet shutdown.” The Bangladeshi government had previously cut mobile internet services on July 18 in an attempt to quell the protests, with partial restoration occurring a week later.
Despite these measures and an indefinite curfew imposed on Sunday, the protests continue. Thousands marched in Uttara, a suburb of Dhaka, chanting for Ms Hasina’s resignation. “The whole city has turned into a battleground,” said a police officer, who requested anonymity. “A crowd of several thousand protesters set fire to cars and motorcycles outside a hospital.” Asif Mahmud, a leading figure in the civil disobedience campaign, declared, “The time has come for the final protest,” urging demonstrators to march on Dhaka and calling for a shutdown of factories and public transport. The government has faced criticism for its handling of the protests. Law and Justice Minister Anisul Huq claimed that authorities have shown “restraint,” adding, “If we had not shown restraint, there would have been a bloodbath. I guess our patience has limits.” Former military personnel have also expressed support for the protests, with ex-army chief General Karim Bhuiyan calling for the withdrawal of armed forces from the streets and condemning “egregious killings, torture, disappearances and mass arrests.” The unrest follows a dispute over a quota system for civil service jobs, which has since been reduced by the government following a Supreme Court ruling. Despite this, protests have persisted, with students demanding justice for victims and the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina. Ms Hasina has dismissed these calls, describing the protesters as “terrorists out to destabilise the nation,” while offering unconditional dialogue with student leaders, a proposal the protesters have rejected.