Police and the supporters of Bangladesh's ruling party clashed with students who were protesting poor road safety. More than a 100 had to be treated in hospital, many appearing to have injuries from rubber bullets.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Hasan
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Students take control of Dhaka streets
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A week of student protests in Bangladesh culminated with police clashing with students on the streets of Dhaka on Saturday, according to reports from the scene.
Citing emergency ward doctor Abdus Shabbir, the AFP news agency reported 115 students have been injured.
"A few of them were in very bad condition," Shabbir said.
Witnesses reported police using tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets in the Jigtala neighborhood of Dhaka's Dhanmondi area. Others reported seeing civilians, believed to be supporters of the ruling Awami League party, joining in the crackdown.
However, police spokesman Masudur Rahman denied that security forces fired rubber bullets or used tear gas.
"It's not true," he told the AFP news agency. "Nothing happened at Jigatola."
Separately, road transport minister Obaidul Quader rejected allegations that his party supporters attacked the students.
Students launched country-wide protests last week, after speeding bus plowed into a crowd killing two teenagers and injuring nine others. Protesters see the incident as a symptom of disregarding road safety standards in a country where drivers often operate vehicles without qualifications or documents.
The protesters put up roadblocks in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh. They also stopped and controlled thousands of vehicles, including those belonging to high-ranking officials and judges, to control their papers. Some buses were also vandalized by the protesters.
"We don't want to be killed [by a] road crash," 10th grader Mohammad Selim told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur news agency.
Some protesters vandalized vehiclesImage: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/T. Hasan
'We won't leave'
Protests intensified after Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, who maintains close ties to transport unions, made an insensitive comment about the unrest.
"A road crash has claimed 33 lives in India's Maharashtra; but do they talk about it the way we do?" Khan said, referring to a deadly accident in neighboring India earlier that week.
The minister's comments prompted widespread criticism by social media users in Bangladesh, with some calling for him to step down immediately. Khan later apologized for his remarks.
Other officials have urged calm, saying the government will consider road safety reforms. However, their pleas have done little to discourage students from taking to the streets.
Student deaths spark massive protests in Bangladesh
Angered by the deaths of two teenagers in a road accident, tens of thousands of students nationwide have taken to the streets in protest. They are demanding safe roads and harsh punishments for traffic violators.
Image: bdnews24.com
A massive outpouring of anger
Bangladesh has witnessed massive student protests over the past several days, after two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus in the capital Dhaka on July 29. The demonstrators, mostly students in their mid-teens, blame the government for failing to enforce traffic laws. On Thursday, some students even took matters into their own hands and began enforcing rules and regulations.
Image: bdnews24.com
Student demands
The protesters have put forward a set of demands for the government. They include strict enforcement of traffic laws, ensuring safe roads and eradicating corruption in the transport sector. Furthermore, they call for harsh punishments for traffic violators, including the death penalty for reckless drivers.
Image: DW/Muhammad Mostafigur Rahman
Tense situation
On Thursday, Bangladesh's education ministry shut down high schools and colleges in an effort to quell the unrest. The government also promised students their demands for reforms to road safety would be considered. Still, the anger hasn't subdued. In Dhaka, students were seen attempting to bring traffic discipline by checking drivers' registration papers and driving licenses.
Image: DW/Muhammad Mostafigur Rahman
'We Want Justice'
Authorities have pleaded with students to call off the protests that have nearly paralyzed Dhaka and spread beyond the capital. But they have had little success so far as the demonstrators refuse to give up their protest. Chanting "we want justice," the protesters on Thursday even defied pouring rain to march in Dhaka.
Image: Facebook/H. Torikul
Beatings and vandalism
In some places, there have been clashes between the protesters and police. Videos circulated on social media show the police beating up students in an effort to clear the blockaded roads. Authorities say more than 300 vehicles have been vandalized since the protests started.
Image: bdnews24.com
Security before digitization
The students say ensuring safe roads in the country should be a higher priority for the Bangladeshi government than digitizing the nation. They argue that internet connectivity and digitization are of little use if the government is unable to ensure security on the country's roads.
Image: Facebook/D. Shawon
Empty highways
Meanwhile, not everyone seems to be happy with the students' action. Bangladesh's transport workers on Thursday stopped operating bus services across the country and demanded security from the student protesters. They also staged a demonstration at the Gabtoli Bus Terminal in Dhaka.
