Students at universities and colleges in Bangladesh say they were “brutally attacked” in clashes with the authorities while innocent bystanders were being killed on their way to buy groceries.
One student said demonstrators in the capital Dhaka just wanted to hold a peaceful rally, but the police “ruined” it by attacking them as they were gathering.
A student leader now recovering in hospital described how he was blindfolded and tortured by people claiming to be police.
Meanwhile, an emergency department doctor said they were overwhelmed as dozens of young people with gunshot wounds were brought in at the height of the clashes.
Hospital reports show almost 1,150 people have died and 12,500 injured since the student-led protests over government job quotas started last week in the worst violence the country has seen in recent years.
Students, frustrated by shortages of good jobs, have been demanding an end to a quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.
The students called for a national shutdown and the government has responded with force, deploying the military to get the situation under control.
Security forces are accused of excessive force but the government has blamed political opponents for the unrest, which erupted after quotas were imposed on government jobs. Most of these have now been scrapped on Supreme Court orders.
A nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has restricted the flow of information in the country, where a curfew is being enforced by thousands of soldiers.
Limited connectivity was restored on Tuesday night, with priority given to companies such as banks, technology firms and media outlets. Mobile phones have started pinging with WhatsApp messages between friends and families, but users say the internet is slow, while mobile internet and sites such as Facebook remain suspended.
The violence is the most serious challenge in years to Sheikh Hasina, 76, who secured her fourth straight term as prime minister in January, in a controversial election boycotted by the country’s main opposition parties.
Rafid Alam has been organising protests in Melbourne to draw attention to the violence back home.
“The Bangladeshi government has cut off the internet for the past 72 hours, isolating and killing students, and suppressing their voices,” Mr Alam said.
“The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police have been firing at unarmed students, even from helicopters.”
He suspects the death toll is even higher than what’s being reported by international media.
“I have friends and juniors caught up in the protests, and I personally know people affected by the violence,” he said.
“Farhan Faiyaaz, a student from Dhaka, is no longer with us. One of my other friends from United International University has been killed by the police.
“The loss and trauma are very personal and deeply felt among us.
“Innocent people have also been killed, including those who simply came out to buy groceries and were shot from helicopters.”
Rafid added that what the students were protesting for was important — many young people in Bangladesh were struggling to get jobs.
“It is our duty to stand in solidarity with our peers in Bangladesh and advocate for their rights,” he said.
“This unjust quota system severely limits opportunities for the majority of students.”
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