Student protests against a quota system for government jobs in Bangladesh escalated on Monday, leading to clashes between protesters and supporters of the ruling party. Over 100 students were injured in incidents across the country.
The demonstrations, the first significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s fourth term, began earlier this month after a court order reinstated job quotas for descendants of freedom fighters. Despite the court’s recent suspension of the order, the protests have continued, fueled by the government’s refusal to meet the students’ demands.
The protests intensified after Hasina accused those opposing the quota system of collaborating with the Pakistani army during the 1971 War of Independence, prompting thousands of students to take to the streets in protest. The government, while condemning the violence, has vowed to maintain stability and prevent the protests from escalating into a wider anti-government movement.
