Bangladeshi Students Reject Prime Minister Hasina’s Olive Branch Following Deadly Protests

Bangladeshi students continued nationwide protests against civil service hiring rules, rejecting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s olive branch, despite her pledge to deliver justice for the nine people killed during the demonstrations.

Hasina’s administration has ordered schools and institutions to close indefinitely, as well as strengthened measures to quell weeks of protests seeking equal access to public sector employment.

On Thursday, riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, and the government ordered the closure of mobile internet networks to put an end to the rallies.

Hasina condemned the “murder” of protesters in a televised national address and pledged that those responsible, regardless of political affiliation, would be punished.

However, Students Against Discrimination, the major group organizing this month’s marches, criticized her statements as dishonest and urged supporters to persevere.

Fresh clashes erupted across multiple cities in Bangladesh as riot police confronted protesters, who initiated new road blockades throughout the day. In Dhaka, police injured dozens of students with rubber bullets and tear gas as they dispersed a crowd of over 1,000 gathered at the country’s leading private university.