Curfew extended in Bangladesh as top court set to rule on job quotas

Bangladeshi authorities extended a curfew across the country on Sunday as the nation's top court was expected to rule on a civil service hiring quota that has led to days of deadly clashes between police and protesters, killing scores of people.

The nationwide demonstrations called for mainly by student groups began weeks ago to protest a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971. Violence erupted Tuesday, with the Daily Prothom Alo newspaper on Saturday reporting the death of at least 103 people so far.

Bangladeshi authorities haven't shared any official numbers of those killed and injured.

During the week, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter stone-throwing protesters who filled the streets and university campuses. Sporadic clashes in some parts of Dhaka, the capital, were reported on Saturday but it was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities.

On Sunday, as the Supreme Court was set to deliver a verdict on whether to abolish the job quotas, soldiers patrolled cities across the South Asian country, while a nationwide internet blackout continued to remain in force. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the curfew will be relaxed from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday for people to run essential errands.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.

The chaos highlights cracks in Bangladesh's governance and economy and the frustration of young people who lack good jobs upon graduation. It also represents the biggest challenge to Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after January's elections, which were boycotted by the main opposition groups.

Protesters argue the quota system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, saying it should be replaced with a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.

Representatives from both sides met late Friday in an attempt to reach a resolution and Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government was open to discussing their demands.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has backed the protests, vowing to organize its own demonstrations as many of its supporters have joined the student-led protests. However, BNP said in a statement its followers were not responsible for the violence and denied the ruling party's accusations of using the protests for political gains.

The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country's national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures. Hasina's government had accused the opposition party of attempting to disrupt the vote.

In 2018, the government halted the job quotas following mass student protests. But in June, Bangladesh's High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of 1971 veterans filed petitions. The Supreme Court suspended the ruling, pending an appeal hearing.

Hasina has called on protesters to wait for the court's verdict.