New violence in Bangladesh student protests

Fresh violence has erupted in Bangladesh between police and student protesters demanding justice for the victims of recent riots.

An official in the northern city of Sylhet said protesters attacked police, forcing them to use tear gas on Wednesday. Clashes were also reported in the capital Dhaka and other cities.

More than 200 people have been killed in this month’s violence, most of them caused by police firing. About 10,000 people have been arrested.

Pictures posted to BBC Bangla show police in riot gear with batons, blocking the protests and taking with them protesters, most of whom are women.

On Wednesday, the “March for Justice” was called by the Students Against Discrimination organization.

They said they were protesting “mass killings, arrests, attacks, and disappearances of students and people”.

Images of Wednesday’s protests sent to BBC Bangla show police in riot gear with batons, blocking demonstrations that include protesters, most of whom are women.

Students have been protesting efforts to restore civil service jobs to relatives of veterans of Pakistan’s 1971 war for independence for more than three weeks.

A third of public sector jobs were reserved, but on 21 July the Supreme Court ruled that only 5% of jobs could be reserved.

The student body believes that the program is discriminatory and wants employment based on merit.

The organizers want him to apologize to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and that six ministers have resigned due to the conflicts that occurred due to the protests.

The government blames the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami party for the unrest.

The European Union has postponed talks with Bangladesh on a new cooperation agreement after criticism of the government’s crackdown.

On Tuesday, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, criticized what he called excessive use of force against protesters and asked that those involved face the law.

The now deferred cooperation agreement was intended to increase economic connectivity between Bangladesh and the EU, the country’s main trading partner.