UPDATE - Death toll at 26 in Bangladesh quota reform protest

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE, BODY

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - At least 20 more people were killed Thursday in Bangladesh as police opened fire on students protesting quota reforms in Dhaka and other parts of the country,

Seventeen victims, mostly students, including minors, were killed as police, the ruling Awami League party members attacked protesters.

The new fatalities recorded 12 in Dhaka, two in the Narsingdi district, two in the port city of Chattogram and one in the central Madaripur district, according to local newspaper Prothom Alo.

Another victim was killed after being trapped in clashes between protesters and police early in Dhaka's Jatrabari neighborhood. And two more people were killed in Dhaka, including a journalist.

The death toll has risen to 26 since Tuesday.

State-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) said its building was set on fire late Thursday.

It said that the fire has been spreading rapidly in a Facebook post and requested a quick response from the fire service because it said many are trapped inside the building.

The broadcast was stopped at the station and a second fire broke out at the main television building.

Thousands of students have been demonstrating since July 1 after a court reinstated quotas for government jobs, which had been abolished in 2018.

Protesters are demanding changes to the system, which reserves 56% of public jobs for certain groups.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said Thursday that 229 paramilitary platoons have been deployed across the country, including Dhaka.

The government said it was ready to talk about reforming the quota system amid escalating violence but students rejected the proposal.

One of the coordinators of the student movement, Md Nahid Islam, said law enforcement forces and ruling party supporters have carried out attacks on peaceful protesters

“Now in the name of dialogue, a new farce is being made,” he said on social media, adding that the government failed to set conditions for negotiations.

He expressed apprehension that coordinators of the movement may be arrested or become victims of forced disappearance by nightfall.

Amnesty International said Wednesday that witness testimonies, video and photographic evidence analyzed and authenticated by the rights group and its Crisis Evidence Lab confirm the use of unlawful force by police against student protesters.

Wetness testimonies confirm the continuation of a multi-year pattern of violence against protesters allegedly committed by members of the Bangladesh Chatra League -- a group affiliated with the ruling party.

Communication was halted Thursday in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

Roads have become battlefields after school, college and public and private universities’ students blocked highways in Dhaka and other districts as students clashed with police and pro-ruling party supporters

- Disruption in mobile phone services

People are having trouble accessing mobile phone internet networks as social media posts are flooding platforms with footage of clashes and protests on campuses, including Dhaka and Jahangirnagar.

Nasiruddin Milton, a resident of the northern Rangpur district where a student was killed by police Tuesday, told Anadolu he is having trouble accessing the internet.

"I was also unable to access Facebook to stay up to date on the situation unfolding across the country,” he added.

Identical circumstances exist in Dhaka.

Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak told reporters that due to the situation emerging about the quota reform movement, mobile internet has been shut temporarily to stop “disinformation” on social media.

The connection will soon be restored and the situation will return to normal, he added.