INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Student activists in Bangladesh have alleged they were abducted and tortured during a violent police crackdown on the protests that have
swept the country and led to the arrest of thousands of political opponents and government critics.Nahid Islam, a Dhaka University student
was picked up by police late last week, tortured and left unconscious on the side of the road.Islam alleged that more than 20 officers who
identified themselves as police arrived at 3am on Saturday and put him inside a car, where he was blindfolded and handcuffed
protests began on university campuses in early July, led by students outraged at the re-introduction of quotas for government jobs, which
reserve 30% for the descendants of those who fought in the 1971 Bangladesh independence war.With the country suffering an economic downturn
and high youth unemployment, government jobs are widely seen as the most secure form of employment
began to turn violent last week after pro-government groups were accused of attacking the protesters with weapons and police began to use
teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades.The crackdown led to violence across the country as student protesters fought back against the
riot police, often armed only with crude weapons, and university campuses became war zones
Police were accused by witnesses of firing live ammunition at protesters and have been blamed for a large numbers of deaths
Unofficial figures have put the death toll at more than 150, while thousands are thought to have been injured.On Sunday, the supreme court
overturned the ruling and scaled back the quotas, meaning only 5% will now go to descendants of freedom fighters
It has led to a pause in the protests and violence, although the country is still under an internet and social media blackout and a strict
National party (BNP), which has faced a crackdown under her rule.In a meeting broadcast on Monday, Hasina claimed to have deployed police
trying to shift the blame for the violence and fatalities away from state agencies
A BNP spokesperson said that about 1,500 party members had been detained.Islam described how once he was in police detention, officers began
not know his whereabouts.Then, he alleged, the physical abuse began
That leg has the most severe injuries
resorted to violence to try to shut them down, a widely documented tactic deployed by her government against critics over her 15 years in
they waited for the government to respond to several of their demands, including for the new reduced quota to be affirmed by parliament and
for compensation be given to families of those killed in the violence.Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Hasib al-Islam, another student
organiser, said students were extending their ultimatum to the government for another 48 hours, during which time they would hold off all
universities and ensure the safety of the students and the protesters, including the safe return of the four protest coordinators who
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
