Dhaka, Aug 6 (EFE).- At least 99 people were killed in 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday as violence spread in Bangladesh following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent departure from the country in the wake of deadly student protests.
Superintendent of General Hospital in Western Jashore district, Harun-or-Rashid, told EEF that 20 people, including an Indonesian citizen, were burned to death after a hotel, reportedly owned by a leader of Hasina’s Awami League party, was set on fire.
“So far, 20 people have died from the incident. We have also treated about 100 injured people and 30 of them are in critical condition,” he said.
Bacchu Mia, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, told EFE they have so far received 41 bodies from violence in Dhaka and surrounding areas since Monday, without elaborating further.
Mohammad Yusuf Ali, an official of Enam Medical College in Savar near Dhaka, said that five people were brought dead to their hospital on Monday evening, while six others died at night while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Shamima Akter, an official of a local hospital, confirmed seven people died in the area in violence on Monday. Six of them were brought dead, while one died on his way to the hospital, she said.
Md. Rafiqul Islam, Superintendent of General Hospital in Kusthia district, told EEF they had received eight bullet-hit bodies after violence in the district.
At least 13 people were killed in clashes after a police station in Dhaka’s Uttara area was attacked on Monday night.
Eight of them were taken to Crescent Hospital and five others to nearby Adhunik Hospital, officials of the two hospitals confirmed.
Violence escalated after Hasina’s resignation was announced on Monday despite a call for calm by Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and student leaders.
With the latest deaths, the toll in violence sparked on July 15 after protesting students were attacked by members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Hasina’s Awami League, surpassed 400.
On Tuesday, student leaders proposed forming an interim government headed by Nobel Laureate, Muhammad Yunus.
“We decided that an interim government will be formed making Professor Yunus, who is acceptable to all and internationally reputed, and a Nobel Laureate, as chief adviser. We spoke to him. He agreed to take the responsibility by responding to call of student and people,” Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the protests, said in a video messag e.
“We urge the president to form an interim government heading Yunus within the quickest possible time,” he added.
The protests began in early July after the High Court ordered the government to restore a 30 percent employment quota for descendants of freedom fighters from Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war.
Protesters argued that the quota system was discriminatory and benefited supporters of the ruling Awami League, while the government defended it as a way to honor veterans of the liberation war.
The protests turned out to be a major challenge for Hasina, who resigned on Monday and left for India, ending her 15-year rule. EFE
am/pd