Bangladesh: 100 injured in clashes during massive students' protest

Police cracked down on students who were protesting against reservation of seats for 1971 war veterans' families, in civil service jobs.

/ AFP PHOTO / -

New Delhi: At least 100 were injured in the clashes between students and police that erupted at Bangladesh’s top university, following which thousands of students staged protests across the country on Monday. The students, who were protesting against quotas in government jobs, were dealt with rubber bullets and tear gas at Dhaka University. The protesters reportedly said that they were staging peaceful protests, when police came and cracked down upon them. Soon thousands of male and female students entered clashes with police, in which over a hundred of protesters have been injured. The clash that kicked off at Dhaka University late Sunday and lasted till early Monday, turned the Dhaka university into a war arena, further igniting protests and sit-ins . At least thousands of students gathered at Jahangirnagar University to stage protests. The students’ protest is said to be the biggest protest faced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her decade old regime. According to reports, the students threw rocks, vandalized the home of Dhaka University vice-chancellor, torched vehicles and shattered the fine arts institute. As per reports, 15 people have been arrested. The unhappy students were protesting against government’s decision of reserving 56% seats in civil services jobs for the families of war veterans of 1971 war of independence and for disadvantaged minorities, leaving only 44% seats for the rests. Their main agitation is against 30% quota for war veterans’ families. PM Haisna has rejected the demand for scrapping of reservation in government jobs.