News channels and telecommunications disrupted amid Bangladesh unrest
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Bangladesh's nationwide shutdown has extended to news television channels, including the country’s state-owned broadcaster BTV, while entertainment channels continued to function.
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Smoke rises from burning vehicles after protesters set them on fire during protests in Dhaka on July 18, 2024. (AFP)
Telecommunication services were disrupted and television news channels have been halted in Bangladesh due to violent student-led anti-quota protests that have resulted in over two dozen demonstrators killed this week.
The death toll had increased to 32 following Thursday’s violent protests, AFP reported. However, Reuters could not verify the number provided by the French news agency, reporting that 13 people were killed in addition to the six other demonstrators killed this week.
The government did not provide an immediate statement concerning the violence, however, according to India’s Economic Times, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government “was forced” to call in the army to “maintain order” late Thursday.
Telecommunication lines disrupted
In an attempt to settle the nationwide unrest, authorities cut off the country’s telecommunications services on Friday morning, according to Reuters, citing their witnesses in Dhaka and New Delhi. This disruption prevented internet calls and the connection of overseas telephone calls.
Although some calls were going through, there was no mobile data or high-speed internet on Friday morning, a Reuters photographer in Dhaka reported, adding that SMSes and mobile text messages were hindered.
Online Bangladesh-based newspapers were static on Friday morning, while their social media pages were inactive.
A Reuters witness said that the nationwide shutdown also extended to news television channels, including the country’s state-owned broadcaster BTV, which were off-air, while entertainment channels continued to function. However, according to the witness, some news channels depicted a message claiming they were undergoing technical difficulties and that the programming would shortly resume transmission.
The streets of Dhaka were relatively empty on Friday morning due to the country’s weekly holiday, one witness said, adding that a protest had been organized at the main mosque at approximately 8 am GMT.
32 dead in Bangladesh anti-quota protests
Bangladesh is heading toward a nationwide shutdown of businesses and transportation services following the violent student-led anti-quota protests.
Tensions escalated when protesters set fire to the state TV headquarters amid reports that many are feared trapped inside the BTV building. An official at the station said, as quoted by AFP, that hundreds of protesters stormed the premises, igniting at least 60 vehicles and an office building.
In a post on Facebook, BTV described the fire as "catastrophic" and "spreading rapidly".
"We seek the cooperation of the Fire Service. Many people are trapped inside," the broadcaster added.
Why are students protesting?
Angered by high youth unemployment, with approximately 32 million people unable to find work or receive an education, students organized demonstrations demanding the abolition of the job quota that allocates 30% for families of veterans who served in the 1971 independence war against Pakistan.
Demonstrators have stated that the job quota ultimately favors supporters of Prime Minister Hasina's party, excluding new job seekers from the labor force. As a result, they are also demanding the replacement of the current political system with a merit-based one.
Government jobs are highly coveted in Bangladesh and are now more pivotal as the country’s economy struggles to recover from the pandemic and years of strong growth. Essentially, the anti-quota protests were sparked last month but escalated to violence earlier this week, alongside Bangladesh’s main opposition party joining the demonstrations.
