Bangladesh Prime Minister Blames Political Foes For Violence

In Bangladesh, at least 150 people have been killed and 500 arrested in the past two weeks of violence and rallies which have escalated into calls for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down

Hasina has blamed her political opponents for the deadly unrest in the country, adding she was “forced” to impose a curfew for public safety.

Speaking on Monday in a meeting with business leaders in the capital Dhaka. She said they would lift the curfew whenever the situation gets better.”

Her comments come a day after Bangladesh’s top court scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs, which have sparked weeks of violent clashes across the country.

Hasina has blamed the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami and their student wings for the violence, saying her government will work to suppress these militants and create a better environment.

Political analysts see the unrest as an unprecedented test for one of Asia’s most powerful women. Hasina, secured her fourth straight term as prime minister in January, in a controversial election boycotted by the country’s main opposition parties.

Before Sunday’s court decision, Bangladesh reserved about 30% of its high-paying government jobs for children of those who fought in Bangladesh’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The court ruled that just 5% of the roles can be reserved for the veterans’ relatives. Hasina’s government abolished the reservation in 2018, following protests. But a court ordered the authorities to reinstate the quotas in June, triggered fresh unrest.

Hasina initially dismissed the protestors’ concerns, which analysts say exacerbated the unrest.

Some student leaders have vowed to continue protesting to demand justice for protesters killed and detained in recent days, the resignations of government ministers and an apology from Hasina.