Bangladesh has eased its nationwide curfew as students continue discussing their protest against new civil service hiring rules, which sparked deadly unrest last week.
The violence claimed the lives of at least 191 people, including police officers, marking one of the most serious crises under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.
Despite thousands of troops patrolling cities and a widespread internet shutdown, clashes have decreased since protest leaders temporarily halted demonstrations.
Now, the curfew permits unrestricted movement for seven hours daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, reducing traffic jams in Dhaka, where 20 million people reside.
The streets had been deserted after recent intense clashes.
Banks, government offices, and garment factories have reopened after being closed last week.
Student leaders are meeting to decide whether to extend their protest pause beyond Friday.
Organizing the rallies, Students Against Discrimination, are demanding Prime Minister Hasina apologize for what they call “mass student killings.”
They are also calling for the removal of the home and education ministers.
Accused of underreporting deaths, they are compiling their own count.
Since the unrest began, police have arrested over 2,500 individuals.
The protests started over a job quota system favoring specific candidates, including veterans’ descendants.
This move intensified Bangladesh’s youth unemployment crisis, affecting about 18 million young people.
While the Supreme Court reduced reserved job quotas, protesters insist they be entirely eliminated.
Hasina, in power since 2009, recently won her fourth consecutive term amid allegations of consolidating power through state institutions and suppressing dissent.
Rights groups accuse her government of extrajudicial killings of opposition members.
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