Bangladesh bans rallies as violent protests spiral out of control
Al Jazeera
Student protests against quotas for government jobs have escalated into the country’s worst unrest in years.
Police in Bangladesh’s capital have banned all public rallies after the deadliest day of ongoing student protests so far saw government buildings torched by demonstrators and the imposition of a nationwide internet blackout.
This week’s unrest has killed several people. The AFP news agency reported at least 39 people dead, including 32 on Thursday alone, with the toll expected to rise after reports of clashes in nearly half of the country’s 64 districts. The death toll could not be independently verified.
Students took to the streets again on Friday ahead of pro-government counter-demonstrations slated to begin after midday prayers in the Muslim-majority nation.
Police in the capital, Dhaka, took the drastic step of banning all public gatherings for the day – a first since protests began – in an effort to forestall another day of violence.
“We’ve banned all rallies, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today,” police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP, adding that the move was necessary to ensure “public safety”.
