Bangladesh violence: 91 killed, 4G mobile internet services suspended; India issues advisory for citizens, ’stay alert’

At least 91 people were killed and hundreds injured on Sunday in clashes between protesters demanding PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation and the ruling party supporters in Bangladesh, forcing authorities to cut off mobile internet and enforce a nationwide curfew for an indefinite period. 

The Indian Embassy in Bangladesh issued an advisory urging Indian nationals residing in the country to “remain alert” after a new round of violence has resumed in the South Asian nation, which has left nearly 72 people dead, including 14 policemen and hundreds injured.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) the Indian Embassy in Sylhet posted ‘All Indian nationals including students living in the jurisdiction of Assistant High Commission of India, Sylhet are requested to be in touch with this office & are advised to remain alert’.

The Indian Embassy also issued a helpline number for emergencies.

“In case of emergencies, please contact +88-01313076402” the Indian Embassy said in its post.

Student Protest

At least 91 people were killed (including 14 policemen) and dozens injured in a new round of violence in Bangladesh on Sunday as police fired tear gas and lobbed stun grenades to disperse tens of thousands of protesters calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.

The clashes broke out this morning when protesters attending a non-cooperation movement to demand the government's resignation faced opposition from the supporters of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.

“So far, 91 people have been killed in day-long clashes across the country” PTI reported, citing a leading Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo report.

According to the police headquarters, 14 policemen have been killed across the country. Of them, 13 were killed in Sirajganj's Enayetpur police station. One person was killed in Comilla's Elliotganj, the paper said.

Indefinite countrywide curfew

Following the violence, the Home Ministry imposed an indefinite countrywide curfew from 6 pm today.

The government has also ordered the shutdown of social media platforms like Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram to stop the spread of rumours. The mobile operators have also been ordered to shut down 4G mobile internet, the paper added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hasina has said that those engaged in "sabotage" across the country in the name of protest are not students but terrorists. She has asked people to suppress them with a firm hand.

"I appeal to the countrymen to suppress these terrorists with a firm hand,” the Bangladesh prime minister said.

The platform Students Against Discrimination has called for an all-out non-cooperation movement from today with the one-point demand of the government’s resignation.