A high-security alert has been declared across Bangladesh amidst ongoing violent confrontations between students and police. Dhaka, the capital, is experiencing a near-total internet blackout, with phone lines also down.
On Thursday evening, thousands of protestors overran the state broadcaster BTV, causing significant damage. They vandalized the building, breaking windows and lights, and set parts of it on fire. The information minister confirmed to the BBC that BTV's broadcasts have ceased and most employees have evacuated the premises. An official BTV Facebook post had earlier reported that many staff members were trapped inside, calling for emergency services to extinguish the fire.
A BTV journalist, who preferred to remain anonymous, described the dire situation, stating that some colleagues were trapped in the building, with their current status unknown.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on BTV Wednesday night, urging calm amid the violent protests, which have resulted in at least 19 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The protests are led by students demanding an overhaul of a quota system that allocates a third of public sector jobs to relatives of the 1971 independence war veterans. The students argue that this system is discriminatory and call for recruitment based on merit.
The government’s attempt to control the protests by shutting down mobile internet led to an escalation of violence. According to AFP, Thursday was the deadliest day so far, with 32 reported fatalities. The BBC's Bengali service confirms 19 deaths, including a 32-year-old journalist from Dhaka Times.
Prime Minister Hasina condemned the deaths as "murder" during her television appearance but was largely ignored by protest leaders, who rejected government negotiations. Nahid Iqbal, a protest leader, claimed that the government's violent response made discussions impossible.
Aleem Khan, a 22-year-old student, criticized the Prime Minister for appearing to call for peace while simultaneously using pro-ruling party groups and police to suppress protests.
On Thursday, police used tear gas and rubber bullets against students who were blocking streets. The students who attacked BTV had previously set fire to a police station and chased officers seeking refuge at BTV, according to an official at the network.
BBC Bengali also reported that medical students, taking shelter in a college compound, were targeted by pro-ruling party groups. Sumi, a student, condemned both the discrimination within the civil service and the police's violent actions, expressing fear for her safety and frustration with the attacks on peaceful protesters.