DHAKA, Aug 12 : At least 580 people were killed in Bangladesh over nearly four weeks till Sunday in the fierce quota reforms movement and subsequent widespread violent protests that continued even after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime, media reports said.
543 deaths – of them 42 police personnel – were reported between July 16 and August 6 as a result of the quota reform campaign and subsequent protests. While there were 217 casualties between July 16 and August 3, the remaining 326 killings took place between August 4 and August 6, the Prothom Alo reported.
Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and left the country for India on August 5 in the face of a student-led uprising. On August 8, Nobel laureate Dr. Mohammad Yunus took oath as chief adviser to an interim government.
Thirty-seven more loss of lives were reported over five days between August 7 and 11, the news outlet said, adding they either perished during treatment in hospital or information about their deaths came to light later.
Between August 4?6, at least 87 leaders and activists from Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League and its mass arms Jubo League, Swecchasebak League, and Chhatra League were killed. At least 36 of the victims during this period were police officers.
Inspector General of Police Moinul Islam confirmed that 42 police officers were killed between July 16 and August 6.
There were at least 23 students among the casualties between August 4 and 6. During this time, at least 12 leaders, activists, and sympathisers of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliated groups were killed.
On August 4, at least 111 deaths were recorded across the country. Among them, at least 27 were Awami League members. Protesters in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi were shot during an Awami League rally. The demonstrators pursued the Awami League members and lynched six of them, including Chardighaldi Union Parishad Chairman Delowar Hossain.
As Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on the afternoon of August 5, numerous Awami League leaders and activists were attacked, and their homes were set on fire. The violence resumed the next day, resulting in numerous deaths.
On August 5, there were 108 recorded deaths. Of them, 49 were Awami League members. On August 6, 107 people were slain, including 11 from the party.
Former Awami League lawmaker and former planning minister MA Mannan told Prothom Alo over the phone, “The murders of students, political leaders, activists, and ordinary people hurt me deeply as a citizen. Political parties should strike an agreement to avoid violence for the sake of the future of politics.” (UNI)
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