Bangladesh Crisis: 20 Awami League Leaders Found Dead As Protest Continue

The political turmoil in Bangladesh intensified with the discovery of 29 bodies, including 20 Awami League leaders, amidst ongoing protests. These grim findings came just after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure from the country, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.

With the escalating crisis, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government. President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced Yunus’s appointment after holding meetings with student leaders and military chiefs, according to local media reports.

The country has been in upheaval due to a student-led uprising that began as a protest against public sector job quotas favoring families of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war. Critics argue these quotas were a tactic to reserve jobs for allies of the ruling Awami League. The unrest, which has resulted in approximately 300 deaths and thousands of injuries since July, has led student protesters to demand the dissolution of parliament, threatening further demonstrations if their demands are not met.

The resignation and flight of Sheikh Hasina have added to the chaos, with the violence and unrest underscoring the nation’s deep political and social divisions.