The World Opinion

Tag: Bangladesh Protests

  • Bangladesh Protests: Setu Bhaban In Dhaka Set Ablaze; Crores worth of vehicles destroyed. world news

    Officials at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, which is housed in the Setu Bhaban in Dhaka’s Mohakhali are fearful of entering the building that was targeted and suffered severe damages during the recent student-led protests in the country.

    This ministry, led by an Awami League minister, has been at the center of controversy, facing intense backlash during the quota demonstrations. During the protests, angry students set fire to the ministry building and vandalized government property and vehicles parked inside its premises.

    An estimated Taka 65 crore worth of vehicles were reduced to ashes, including 57 cars ranging from SUVs and pickup trucks to minibuses and motorcycles, all of which were used for ministry operations and official engagements. The incident has left the Setu Bhavan building a charred and uninhabitable structure.

    Ministry officials that ANI spoke to say they are now fearful of entering the building due to its damaged state. They have been forced to carry out their duties outside, operating from makeshift setups. The protest, which began as a demonstration against the government’s quota system, quickly escalated into a larger movement, raising serious concerns about the safety and stability of government institutions in the capital.

    Leading Bangladesh publication Prothom Alo had in a July 27 report stated that “several hundred of miscreants stormed into the Setu Bhaban on July 18 and vandalized it badly, set it on fire, and looted government property from the bhaban.” “They also vandalized many vehicles, motorbikes, ransacked different sheds and rooms and later set those on fire and beat many employees of the Setu Bhaban black and blue” the publication reported.

    The vandalism was part of protests led by students who were demonstrating certain quotas in government jobs. Sheikh Hasina left the country for New Delhi on August 5 after stepping down as Prime Minister, An interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday.

  • Bangladesh: Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus Swears-In As Chief Advisor Of Interim Government | world news

    New Delhi: Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday pledged to establish a government that guarantees safety for its citizens of Bangladesh. He returned from Paris to take the oath as the head of the interim government after Sheikh Hasina’s removal.

    Yunus, an 84-year-old, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his groundbreaking work in microlending, was appointed head of the interim government after President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday after Hasina resigned as Prime Minister post.

    He was attending the Olympic Games in Paris and returned to Bangladesh via Dubai. An Emirates flight (EK-582) carrying Yunus landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:10 pm local time.

    Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, senior officials, student leaders and civil society members went to welcome him at the airport.

    While attending a press conference at the airport, Yunus expressed his gratitude to the youth who played a crucial role in making the protest against Hasina.

    “We have got independence for the second time. We have to protect this independence,” he said, PTI reported.

    “The nation is in your hands now. Now you have to rebuild it as per your aspirations. You have to use your creativity to build the country. You have earned independence for the country,” he added.

    “We have to form a government which assures safety to its citizens,” he said.

    He also asked the citizens to save the country from the chaos created during the violent protests.

    “Bangladesh can be a very beautiful country and we can make it one,” further added. Yunus also paid tribute to Abu Sayed, one of the first victims of police gunfire during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

  • Massive Prison Break In Bangladesh; Over 500 Inmates Escape, Some Armed | world news

    In the wake of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, a massive prison break occurred at Sherpur Jail in Bangladesh, with at least 518 inmates escaping amid escalating chaos on Monday afternoon. According to Zee News TV, the escaped prisoners are reportedly armed. The facility, situated approximately 100 kilometers from the India-Bangladesh border, has prompted heightened security measures in India.

    The Border Security Force (BSF) has increased its deployment along the border to prevent any potential spillover. Authorities have identified 20 of the escapees as having possible terror affiliations.

    This is a developing story.

  • Bangladesh Protests: Air India, IndiGo Cancel Flights To Dhaka With Immediate Effect | Mobility News

    Bangladesh Riots: Air India and IndiGo cancelled scheduled flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect on Monday due to the emerging situation in the wake of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigning amid unprecedented anti-government protests.

    A Vistara official said it operated the flight from Mumbai on Monday and the situation is being monitored for operations to Dhaka on Tuesday.
    While Air India operates two daily flights from Delhi to Dhaka, Vistara flies daily flights from Mumbai and three weekly services from Delhi to the Bangladesh capital.

    IndiGo has flights to Dhaka from the national capital, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The number of flights that are operated by the airline could not be immediately ascertained.

    “In view of the emerging situation in Bangladesh, we have cancelled the scheduled operation of our flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Dhaka with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges,” an Air India spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.

    IndiGo said that in view of the ongoing situation in Dhaka, all flights scheduled for tomorrow have unfortunately been cancelled. “We understand that this may cause significant inconvenience and disruption to your travel plans and we sincerely regret this development,” it said in a post on X.

    In Dhaka, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman said Hasina has resigned and an interim government is taking over the responsibilities.

  • Bangladesh Supreme Court Reduces Jobs Quota That Sparked Deadly Violence | world news

    Bangladesh Quota Protest: Amidst the widespread protests regarding reservation policies in Bangladesh, the Supreme Court made a significant decision on Sunday to reduce the quota for government jobs. In the order, the court said that 93 per cent of government job positions will now be allocated based purely on merit, while the remaining seven per cent will be reserved for specific categories, including descendants of individuals who fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. .

    Earlier, there used to be a 30 percent job reservation for relatives of war veterans. Recently, protests erupted across the country demanding improvement in the reservation system in government jobs. As tension escalated, a nationwide curfew was imposed on Saturday, and military forces were deployed in Dhaka to maintain order. Tragically, the protest caused several casualties in Bangladesh.

    Bangladeshi authorities have not released official numbers of the dead and injured. However, according to a report by the newspaper ‘Prothom Alo’ on Saturday, at least 103 people have been reported dead.

    Responding to the continuous violence in Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her willingness to welcome refugees into the state. Banerjee stated that Bengal will certainly provide shelter to those in need.

    “I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh since that is a sovereign nation and whatever needs to be said on the issue is a subject matter of the Centre. But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” She said.

  • Bangladesh Quota Protest: PM Hasina Imposes Nationwide Curfew; 245 Indians Cross Over Border To Meghalaya | Top Developments  |

    Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a nationwide curfew on Friday following the deadly clashes over the allocation of government jobs. The troops have been stationed in large numbers to restore law and order across the country. As per reports, at least 105 people have been killed so far and over 1,500 have been injured in the protests that took a bloody turn this week. By 8 p.m. on Friday, a total of 245 Indians, among them 125 students, had returned to India. 


    Protesters are calling for the abolition of a quota system that allocates up to 30% of government jobs to relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. 



    A senior official from the home department reported that 363 individuals entered Meghalaya via the Dawki Integrated Check Post, including 204 Indians, 158 Nepalese, and one person from Bhutan. The total number of people taking refuge in the state increased to over 670. 


    Police and security officials used live ammunition and tear gas on protesters in Dhaka on Friday, while also imposing a ban on all gatherings in the capital. 


    The demonstrators believe the system is unfair and mostly helps supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party, which led the independence movement. They want it changed to a system based on merit. 



    The protests, which started weeks ago, escalated significantly this week, presenting the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she secured her fourth consecutive term in January’s elections. These polls were boycotted by major opposition groups. 


    According to an Associated Press’ reporter, border guard officials were firing at a crowd of over 1000 protestors as they gathered outside the national television broadcaster’s office and set the building on fire.


    The Indian High Commission in Dhaka is working with local Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety of students wishing to travel to India. The mission, along with the BSF and the Bureau of Immigration, is also assisting Indian students returning from Bangladesh. “The High Commission of India in Dhaka is coordinating with local authorities in Bangladesh to provide adequate security to students who are keen on travelling to India,” sources told ANI.


    To assist the return of Indian citizens and students from Bangladesh, the Indian government has designated three border crossings: Benapole-Petrapole, Gede-Darshana, and Akhaura-Agartala – to remain open for travel.


    “We have approximately 8,500 students and about 15,000 Indian nationals residing in the country,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, while assuring Indian citizens’ safety.