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Fresh protests erupted across Bangladesh over the weekend, killing at least 91 people, after thousands took to the country’s streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following widespread accusations of excessive force and government mismanagement, Al Jazeera reported.
Violence erupted in multiple cities as police, demonstrators and members of the ruling Awami League party clashed. Security forces have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while some demonstrators set fire to vehicles and attacked ruling party offices.
Dozens have been injured and 13 police officers are among the dead.
The unrest first began last month after students took to the streets demanding the abolition of a quota system that reserved 30 percent of highly sought-after government jobs for the families of veterans of the 1971 War of Independence.
Although the supreme court ruled to reduce the quota to five percent, the protests continued, evolving into a broader anti-government movement, according to the Associated Press.
The weekend unrest stems from the government’s response to last month’s violent demonstrations that left more than 200 people dead.
Hasina has labeled protesters as criminals engaging in “sabotage” and urged citizens to confront them “with iron hands.” The government has also accused opposition parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, of instigating the violence.
In response to the unrest, the government has imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew and declared a public holiday from Monday to Wednesday. Mobile Internet services and social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp, have been shut down to prevent further violence.
Since the demonstrations began last month, authorities have arrested at least 11,000 people in connection with the protests.
Despite the government’s efforts to quell the unrest, the protests continue to gain momentum, with a march to the capital Dhaka set for later this week to increase pressure on the administration.
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