Bangladesh extends curfew pending court ruling on job quotas

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government has extended the curfew on Sundays pending the Supreme Court’s verdict on scrapping the controversial job quota system (today).

A curfew imposed on Friday night has been extended until 3pm today, until after the Supreme Court hearing. The curfew will remain in place for an “uncertain period” after a two-hour break for people to gather supplies, local media reported.

Soldiers patrol the streets of the capital Dhaka, the centre of demonstrations that have erupted into clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Internet and text messaging services have been down in Bangladesh since Thursday, with the country cut off from the outside world as police crack down on protesters who flout a ban on public gatherings.

Universities and colleges have also been closed since Wednesday.

National unrest erupted after students became angry over government job quotas, which included 30% set aside for the families of those who fought in the 1971 war.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government had abolished the quota system in 2018, but a court reinstated it last month.

The Supreme Court stayed the decision after an appeal by the government and will hear the case on Sunday after agreeing to bring forward the hearing scheduled for August 7.

The protests – the largest since Hasina was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term this year – have also been fuelled by high unemployment among young people, who make up nearly a fifth of the population.

The US State Department on Saturday raised its travel advisory for Bangladesh to level four, urging American citizens to avoid traveling to the South Asian country.