![Protesters gathered at the Doyel Chattar at Dhaka University during a programme on 2 August. A banner held by a protester reads '[You] will be killed if [you] speak'. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS](https://www.tbsnews.net/sites/default/files/styles/big_2/public/images/2024/08/02/_f3a2624.jpg)
It was “All Eyes on Bangladesh” on yet another Friday with at least two confirmed deaths till 9:00pm.
Even in the early hours, the air in Bangladesh was gripped with palpable tension – protest march programmes had been announced across the country, with police, BGB and army personnel taking positions in numerous locations.
Soon after Jummah prayers, news of fresh violence began to trickle in, as protesters defied lashing rains.
“All Eyes on Khulna”, “All Eyes on Uttara”, “All Eyes in Sylhet”, among other similar ones, became trending hashtags across social media.
News of the first confirmed death during today’s protests came from Habiganj, where one person died amid clashes between police and students during a rally organised by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in the district’s Tuk Bazar area.
The victim was identified as Mostak Mia, 28, a resident of Tuk Bazar area. He worked as a labourer under a PDB contractor in Habiganj.
Mostak suffered a bullet injury during the clashes between the agitating students and the police this afternoon.
Besides, at least 50 people including policemen were injured during the clash between police and anti-discrimination student movement protesters.
The second death was reported in Khulna.
A police constable named Suman succumbed to injuries sustained during clashes with protesters, Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mozammel Haque told TBS.
Earlier, protesters had set fire to the district Awami League office.
They also threw stones at the residence of Habiganj-3 constituency lawmaker, Abu Zahir, and burned several motorcycles.
In the capital’s Uttara, reports emerged of police, alongside some unidentified men, clashing with protesters.
There were allegations of protesters being fired upon.
Police clashed with protesting students – especially from private universities, Rajuk Uttara Model College, and Milestone College, among other educational institutions.
The clashes mainly broke out in Uttara-11, with chase and counter-chases ensuing.
Videos circulating supposedly from the scene showed police firing teargas shells and sound grenades at the protesters to disperse them.
When asked, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Uttara Division’s deputy commissioner and additional deputy commissioner refused to make any comments on the issue.
Tahmid Huzaifa, a student of Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), was reportedly shot in the protest in Uttara, his cousin Usama bin Sayed told The Business Standard.
Tahmid is currently admitted to a hospital in Uttara, Usama said.
Social media was also rampant with statuses saying “Chhatra League” men were forcing their way into homes to track down student protesters.
In Mirpur, a thick security blanket, comprising BGB, police and army personnel was observed before the protesters had begun to gather.
Elsewhere in Khulna, police descended on protesters and fired tear gas shells around 5:30pm to disperse them from the Gollamari intersection in the city.
Heavy law enforcement was deployed in the Khulna University area, with protesters and police facing off at the main gate of the premises at one point.
In Sylhet, a journalist of the Daily Kalbela was shot amid clashes between police and protesters.
Mithu Das, the Sylhet correspondent, was hit with pellets while covering a clash between protesters and police, the daily’s online edition kalbela.com reported at 6:53pm.
The clash near the Surma area began at around 3:00pm and left around a 100 injured, including journalists, protesters and policemen, according to the report.
Mithu Das was hit by at least three pellets and was taken to the Mound Adora Hospital, where is currently under treatment.
Speaking about the police firing, Sylhet Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Police Commissioner Azbahar Ali Sheikh said, “Students attacked during the protest by blocking the road. We controlled the situation with tear shells, blank firing, sound grenades to control the situation. Apart from that we arrested eight miscreants. We are working to maintain law and order.”
In Khulna, at least 20 students were injured when clashes broke out with law enforcers.
Several policemen also suffered injuries during the clashes. They were admitted to the privately-run City Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile in Chattogram, a police box was set on fire during protests. The number of injured is yet to be confirmed.
The protests, which began with the demand for quota reform, morphed into one with nine additional demands.
The government, following pressure from protesters, reformed the quota system, bringing it down to 5% from 55%.
By this time, however, anger had spread at the death toll stemming from law enforcers open firing on protesters.
While the government maintains the death toll at around 150, most media estimate it to be over 200.
In a statement today, UNICEF also highlighted that of the dead, at least 32 were children.
TBS
