In Bangladesh, over 230 killed since Sheikh Hasina's ouster; local media

Bangladesh violence: Between July 16 and August 4, around 328 persons were killed during violent clashes in Bangladesh. In all, some 560 people died over the last 23 days

There have been at least 232 deaths in violence-hit Bangladesh since Monday, when Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister and fled to India after facing nationwide protests, Prothom Alo newspaper reported on Thursday.

The massive death count was reported due to sporadic incidents of violence that occurred in just three days, taking the total count since the mid-July violence to over 500.

The violence began on July 16, when student activists at Dhaka University were attacked by supporters of Hasina’s party Awami League for opposing the now-scrapped controversial quota system for government jobs in Bangladesh. One of the provisions of the system was to secure 30 per cent of the jobs for the families of war heroes.

 

On July 21, the country’s top court scrapped most of the reservations, hoping to quell the violence that had gripped the nation.

However, the violence re-ignited over the weekend when fresh clashes broke out after the demonstrators decided to launch a ‘Long March to Dhaka’ campaign to seek Hasina’s public apology for the violence that had killed over 150 people since mid-July.

Between July 16 and August 4, around 328 persons were killed, the local newspaper said. Around 100 people were killed in violence on Sunday alone, the day before Hasina’s government collapsed. In all, some 560 people died over the last 23 days.

There have been reports that Hindus have also been targeted in the violence. A day after Hasina left Bangladesh with her sister, as many as 29 Awami League party members and their families were killed on Tuesday.

Fearing for their lives, two Awami League leaders were also caught attempting to flee Bangladesh through the Darshana ICP check post in Chuadanga but were detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Wednesday morning.

As authorities continue to grapple with a law and order crisis, an interim government led by Nobel prize winner Muhammad Yunus is set to take oath today at around 8 pm (local time).