Escalation of protests in Bangladesh Demonstrators storm government headquarters - Prime Minister flees by helicopter

Protests against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are escalating in Bangladesh, with violent clashes between demonstrators and government supporters. The Prime Minister is said to have fled.

Anti-government demonstrators in Bangladesh have stormed the official residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Television footage on Monday showed thousands of people entering the government palace in the capital Dhaka. According to sources close to the head of government, she had previously left the palace.

Prior to this, protesters and supporters of the government had clashed with sticks and knives in several cities in the South Asian country of Bangladesh, with police firing guns at the demonstrators.

Images broadcast by the television station Channel 24 showed thousands of demonstrators entering Hasina's palace. They then begin to celebrate and wave to the cameras.

Shortly beforehand, the AFP news agency had learned from sources close to the head of government that she had gone "to a safer place" with her sister. Hasina had wanted to record a speech, but no longer had the opportunity to do so.

What are the protests about?

The protests at universities across the country began in early July after a court ordered the reintroduction of an old quota system that had actually been abolished in 2018 following massive student protests.

According to the quota, 30 percent of the coveted positions in the civil service were to go primarily to descendants of soldiers from the 1971 War of Independence. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party, the Awami League, played a key role in leading the war at the time.

However, young academics are often threatened with unemployment in poor Bangladesh, which has a population of 170 million, and jobs in the civil service are usually well paid.

Two weeks ago, the court made some concessions to the protesting students: Only 5 percent instead of the previous 30 percent of jobs are to go to the descendants. At 93 percent, the majority of recruitment will be based on merit.

According to the AP, the remaining 2 percent will be reserved for members of ethnic minorities as well as transgender and disabled people.

Prime Minister to take action against opponents

Leading representatives of the student protests welcomed the ruling two weeks ago, but wanted to continue protesting. According to BBC Bangla, there was not yet a unified line on what goals should be pursued. Some demanded, among other things, the release of all arrested students and even the resignation of the government.

Hasina was confirmed in office in January 2024 in an election that was boycotted by a large part of the opposition. Among other things, her government is accused of abusing state institutions to maintain its own power and suppressing government critics - including the extrajudicial killing of opposition figures.

Human rights organizations and the largest opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, also accuse the current prime minister of targeting her opponents and critics, arresting thousands of them and rigging elections. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press have also suffered under her government.

Beyond the conflict over quotas, there have been repeated protests in the past against Hasina's government, which has been in power since 2009. Under her rule, poor, Muslim-majority Bangladesh experienced an economic upswing. Recently, however, high inflation has caused problems for many people.

Great solidarity with protesters

According to "20 Minuten", people from all walks of life have now joined the protest movement. Film stars, well-known musicians and former generals have expressed their support.

Forty-seven companies from the textile industry, which is important for the country's economy, have also expressed their solidarity with the protesters. It remains to be seen whether the army will support the protesters - or continue to stand by 76-year-old head of government Sheikh Hasina.

What does Sheikh Hasina herself say about the protests?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused the protesters of "acts of sabotage" and switched off mobile internet services in order to suppress the resistance. An indefinite curfew has been in force in Dhaka and the divisional and district capitals since Sunday evening.

Hasina declared that the protesters involved in "sabotage" and destruction were no longer students, but criminals, and that the population should deal with them with a firm hand. The ruling Awami League party also said the demand for Hasina's resignation showed that the protests had been hijacked by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the now-banned Jamaat-e-Islami party, AP reported.

According to the report, the government also continues to accuse the student wings of the opposition parties of instigating violence in which several government facilities were set on fire or vandalized.

Curfew with shoot-to-kill order

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of BNP, reiterated the call for the government's resignation to end the chaos. Hasina also offered talks with student leaders on Saturday, but a coordinator refused and demanded her resignation, the news agency reported.

Hasina renewed her promises to investigate the July deaths and punish those responsible for the violence. She said she was ready to sit with the protesters anytime as the protests were a big challenge for her after ruling the country for over 15 years.

Hasina returned to power for a fourth consecutive term in January in an election that was boycotted by her main opponents, the AP report said.

The unrest led to the closure of schools and universities across the country, and authorities at times imposed a curfew with shoot-to-kill orders, the report said.

Curfew imposed after serious riots in Bangladesh

SDA