The Bangladeshi government imposed a nationwide curfew and deployed military forces on Friday night as the death toll from student protests reached 75. The curfew starts at midnight, with military forces tasked to restore order.
Earlier, violent clashes between protesters and security forces resulted in at least 30 deaths, bringing the three-day total to 75, according to police. The unrest led the government to enforce a communications blackout, cutting off mobile and broadband internet access nationwide.
Read more: Bangladeshi Students Continue Their Protests Despite The Imposed Ban
Most fatalities occurred in Dhaka, the protest epicenter against the government’s 56 percent public sector job quota. Educational institutions across Bangladesh have closed, with over 2,000 injuries reported. The curfew will lift briefly at noon on Saturday before being re-imposed until Sunday morning. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina canceled an official trip to Spain due to the crisis. Despite the closures, students continue their demonstrations, protesting the controversial quota system. The government plans to appeal to the Supreme Court to reduce the quota to 20 percent.
