Page 25 - Protest

Shutdowns may cost Bangladesh's economy $10 billion, says industry group

While the current estimated costs represent a tiny fraction of the $455 billion economy, Bangladesh is in a precarious position with its dwindling foreign exchange reserves

Bangladesh quells protests against job quotas but anger, discontent remain

The protests, which started in universities and colleges earlier this month, quickly turned into a more widespread agitation against Hasina and her government

Bangladesh partially restores telecom services as protests taper off

The country has mostly been calm since Sunday when the Supreme Court scaled down reservations for various categories to 7 per cent

After protests, Bangladesh govt to formally accept ruling on job quotas

The protesters wanted the government to overturn a high court decision last month that reinstated a quota system putting aside nearly 60 per cent of government jobs for certain people

India-Bangladesh trade comes to standstill as students' protests intensify

Trade between India and Bangladesh via land ports came to a standstill on Sunday as there was no movement of cargo trucks to and fro due to the ongoing student protests in the neighbouring country, officials said. The Bangladeshi side of the Petrapole landport remained non-functional, they said. Nearly one-third of land-based trade between India and Bangladesh takes place through Petrapole. "Trade from other land ports to Bangladesh, including Petrapole, Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur, has also stalled as Bangladeshi Customs announced a two-day holiday from Sunday, following the government's declaration of a holiday except for essential services due to unrest," West Bengal Exporters' Coordination Committee Secretary Ujjal Saha said. The cargo trucks that crossed over to Bangladesh on Saturday from Mahadipur port in Malda have not returned, but they are safe, he said. "There has been no movement of trucks (import and export) at the Petrapole border since Sunday morning. Our land

B'desh's top court scales back govt jobs quota after unrest killed scores

Bangladesh's top court on Sunday scaled back a controversial quota system for government job applicants after it led to nationwide unrest and deadly clashes between police and protesters that have killed scores of people. The Supreme Court in its verdict ordered 93% of the government jobs to be allocated on a merit-based system, leaving the remaining 7% for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971 and other categories. Earlier, the system reserved 30% of such jobs the relatives of war veterans. Sunday's verdict comes after weeks of demonstrations - mostly led by students - that turned deadly on Tuesday after protesters began clashing with police. 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 ..

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% 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

284 more people enter India from Bangladesh via Meghalaya, say officials

Altogether 284 more people entered India on Saturday from violence-hit Bangladesh via Dawki integrated check post in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district, officials said. Of them, 168 are from Nepal and 115 from India, including eight students from Meghalaya, and one from Canada, they said. "In the past three days, a total of 953 people from India, Nepal and Bhutan, mostly students, and one from Canada have crossed over through Dawki ICP to the country from Bangladesh due to agitation there," a senior home department official said. The Meghalaya government has activated a helpline number for those who have been in violence-hit Bangladesh and are seeking assistance from the authorities of the northeastern state. Violence escalated in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka and elsewhere over protests by students, demanding reforms to the quota system for government jobs. The protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of

Bangladesh PM Hasina cancels overseas trips as deadly protests escalate

The administration has stepped up efforts to quell clashes between police and the students protesting the government's job quota policy

Despite curfew, deaths mount in B'desh protests over govt jobs quota

Another 22 people died Thursday as protesting students attempted to impose a complete shutdown of the country. Several people were also killed Tuesday and Wednesday

Job quota protests: Over 300 Indian students flee violence-hit Bangladesh

Students were mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir. Key exit routes included the international land ports at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura and Dawki in Meghalaya

It is an internal matter: India on violent protests in Bangladesh

India on Friday described the violent protests in Bangladesh as an "internal" matter of that country. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said around 15,000 Indians including 8,000 students are currently residing in Bangladesh and they are safe. "As you are aware, there are ongoing protests in Bangladesh. We see this as an internal matter of the country," he said. "We have issued an advisory for Indian nationals, including our students, resident in Bangladesh for their safety and assistance if required. Helpline numbers are activated operating on 24x7 basis for people to reach out," he said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is himself following the matter closely, Jaiswal said. "Our High Commission will be providing regular updates. I will also be posting regular updates. I would urge family members to follow us for latest developments," he said. "We remain committed to providing all possible assistance to our nationals in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said.

Bangladesh TV news off air, communications disrupted as protests spike

Telephone calls from overseas were mostly not getting connected and calls through the internet could not be completed

Too late for talks: Bangladesh students demand action; death toll hits 39

Bangladesh quota protest: Fresh violence broke out on Thursday resulting in 18 deaths and leaving more 25,000 injured. Indian students in Kolkata show solidarity with protestors

Bangladesh student protest: Rally, deaths, nationwide shutdowns, and more

Explained: What is Bangladesh's new job quota and how student protests turned violent leading to nationwide school, university, and transport shutdowns

INDIA bloc to hold protests over collapsed law & order situation in Bihar

The opposition INDIA bloc in Bihar on Wednesday said it will organise a state-wide agitation later this week over the alleged deterioration in the law and order situation. The announcement was made at a joint press conference of the alliance partners here. The law and order situation has completely collapsed in the state. Everyday, Bihar is witnessing cases of murder, kidnapping, extortion, rape, etc Why is Chief Minister Nitish Kumar maintaining a stoic silence on the current situation? RJD's state party chief Jagadanand Singh said. We... will organise a protest march on July 20 across the state against rising crimes in Bihar. This issue will also be raised in the assembly during the upcoming monsoon session, Singh said. Leader of Opposition in the assembly and senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also slammed the state government on the issue. Bihar witnessed several incidents that expose the current law and order situation. For instance husband and wife brutally murdered by stabbin

BJP leaders march to K'taka CM's residence, taken into preventive custody

The opposition BJP leaders tried to lay siege to the chief minister's office-cum-residence here on Wednesday alleging rampant corruption by the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, but were stopped and taken into preventive custody. The party leaders, including BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, former ministers S Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, S Suresh Kumar, C N Ashwath Narayan and C T Ravi were accompanied by several MLAs and a large number of party workers. Due to the heavy deployment of police forces, the BJP leaders could not reach their destination and were taken under preventive custody. The party has alleged that there was around Rs 4,000 crore worth of alternative sites (plots) scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in which one of the beneficiaries is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi. The party also charged that there were attempts to cover up over Rs 180 crore Maharshi Valmiki Schedul

NEET row top 5 updates: NSUI protest, Parliament debate, CBI arrests

TMC and DMK demand the Centre to abolish the NEET exam and revert to the previous system of state medical entrance exams, while Congress asks to raise matter of exam irregularities in the Rajya Sabha

Nearly 80 arrests from pro-Palestinian protest at Texas university dropped

Nearly 80 criminal trespass arrests stemming from a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas have been dismissed, a prosecutor said Wednesday, the latest dropped charges against demonstrators arrested on college campuses across the U.S. this spring. Delia Garza, a Democrat who is the elected attorney for Travis County, said 79 criminal trespass cases that were dismissed all stemmed from the April 29 protest. She said cases involving other offenses remain pending. Garza said her office determined it couldn't meet the legal burden to prove the cases beyond a reasonable doubt. She said factors that were considered included whether the protesters' right to free speech had been violated, whether prosecutors had sufficient evidence to seek a conviction and if pursuing the case was in the interest of justice. At campuses across the U.S. this spring, demonstrators sparred over the Israel-Hamas war. Texas' protest and others grew out of Columbia University's early ...

Kenyan police fire blanks to disperse protesters after parliament breach

Authorities fired blanks to disperse protesters in Nairobi suburb overnight Wednesday, hours after protestors stormed parliament in deadly demonstrations, burning parts of the building while legislators fled, as the country grapples with controversial tax increases. Police said they fired over 700 blanks in Githurai, a suburb east of the capital Nairobi. Videos of gunfire piercing the night air were shared online and reported by local media. The military was deployed overnight to support police during the security emergency and patrolled the central business district on Tuesday night as President William Ruto called the events treasonous and vowed to quash the unrest at whatever cost. Thousands of protesters stormed and burned a section of Kenya's parliament Tuesday to protest tax proposals. Police responded with gunfire and several protesters were killed. More than 100 people were injured in Tuesday's protests, according to civil society groups. It is still unclear how many people