THE Bangladesh government has declared a high alert status across the country as clashes between students and police continue.
Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka is in a state of total internet blackout as are telephone connections.
On Thursday (18/7) evening, thousands of demonstrators stormed the state-owned television station, BTV, destroying furniture, smashing windows and burning part of the building.
Bangladesh’s Information Ministry said the television station had been shut down and most of its employees had left the premises.
Previously, via a post on their official account, BTV said that many of their employees were still trapped and asked for help from the fire department to put out the fire.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on television late Wednesday (17/6) urging people to remain calm following days of demonstrations left at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured.
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Bangladeshi students held demonstrations demanding changes to a system that gives one-third of government jobs to relatives of veterans of Bangladesh’s war of independence when it separated from Pakistan in 1971.
The students accused the system of being discriminatory and demanded that the recruitment process be based on merit.
The government tried to quell the demonstrations and on Thursday (18/7) turned off internet connections to slow down student movements.
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However, that day became the bloodiest day in the series of student demonstrations.
Sheikh Hasina condemned the killing of protesters, calling their deaths murders. She offered dialogue with the students, which was firmly rejected.
“The government has killed many of our colleagues so we refuse to have dialogue with them,” said Nahid Iqgal, one of the leaders of the student demonstration.
Another protester, Aleem Khan, said: “The prime minister is demanding an end to the demonstrations on one side while on the other side the police are attacking students.” (bbc/Z-1)
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