Written by Hanae
Edited by Aleeya Balqis
Most of the violence occurred between Thursday and Saturday | Source: BBC Bangla
WARNING: This piece contains descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing
BANGLADESH, 26th July 2024: Anti-government protests ignited nationwide clashes in Bangladesh between the police and university students, resulting in at least 150 fatalities.
One student mentioned that the demonstrators in Dhaka merely aimed to hold a peaceful rally, but the police "ruined" the city by attacking them right as they were assembling for the rally. A student leader, now recovering in the hospital, recounted being blindfolded and tortured by individuals claiming to be the police.
At the height of the conflict, scores of young people with gunshot wounds were brought to the hospital, overwhelming the staff there.
The administration has blamed political opponents for the disturbance, which started after quotas were placed on government positions, while security personnel were accused of employing excessive force. As a result of Supreme Court orders, the majority of these quotas have since been eliminated.
Since Thursday, the 18th of July, a nationwide internet blackout has restricted the flow of information in the country, where thousands of soldiers were enforcing a curfew.
On the night of July 23, limited connectivity was restored, prioritising media outlets, banks, and tech companies. WhatsApp communications between friends and family are now possible on mobile devices. However, users complain about poor internet quality. In addition, websites like Facebook and mobile internet remain suspended.
A student at the private BRAC University named Raya (using a pseudonym), informed BBC Bangla that she first joined the protests on Wednesday, July 17. However, it was the following day that the confrontation with the police became "really horrible."
Affairs took an even darker turn on July 19, the day when most of the fatalities had occurred.
By 10:00 a.m., hundreds of protesters were clashing with police at Natun Bazaar near Rampura, which is close to a normally peaceful area with several embassies. The area has now appeared similar to that of a war zone.
The protesters were throwing bricks and stones at the police, who responded by firing shotguns, tear gas, and sound grenades. All the while, a helicopter was firing bullets from the air.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reporters witnessed fires everywhere, burnt and vandalised vehicles abandoned on the streets, broken branches strewn across the road, police and protesters-erected barricades, and disassembled steel road barriers.
Hundreds of patients poured into emergency rooms in a short amount of time, many of whom arrived on foot, drenched in blood. The situation overwhelmed the emergency departments of the hospitals.
The situation worsened by Friday evening, prompting the government to declare a nationwide curfew and deploy the army on the streets.
Some of the deaths were not proven to have a connection to the protest movement, causing a rise of questions.
Construction worker Selim Mandal was a victim of the conflict, caught in a fire that started early on Sunday morning as fighting broke out in the neighbourhood where he lived and worked. His burnt remains were discovered next to two other victims. The cause of the fire is unidentified.
Another fatalities of the violence, Hasib Iqbal, 27, was said to be a member of the protest movement although not deeply involved. His family said they don't really know how he died and that he was not really involved.
His father was shocked to learn of his son's death, as he had gone to Friday prayers. "We were supposed to go to prayers together, but since I was a little late, he went to the mosque alone," Mr. Razzaq reported.
Afterwards, Mr. Razzaq set out to find him, but he did not find out about his passing until hours later. Although his death certificate indicated that he died of asphyxiation, family members at his funeral noticed black marks on his chest.
Mr. Razzaq did not intend to file a complaint with the police, stating, "my son will never come back."
"My only son," he said, "I never dreamed of losing him like this." —TBC
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