Here’s What Happened When Bangladesh Shut Internet During Deadly Unrest
Deadly clashes in Bangladesh last week have highlighted frustration with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year hold on power.
It all began when university students began protesting a June decision by the High Court reinstating a divisive 30% quota of civil service jobs for descendants of fighters in the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.
Resentment was high because the government was failing to provide enough jobs in the country of 170 million people, especially for its burgeoning youth population.
Then Hasina on July 15 likened the protesters to collaborators with Pakistan in the 1971 war and students erupted in fury as even more came out on to the streets as the anti-quota movement spreads to students nationwide.
Below is a timeline of events that occurred mostly after the Bangladesh government shut down the internet when Hasina’s first comments on the protests broadened the anti-quota movement, after which clashes turned deadly:
July 15:Hasina likens protesters to collaborators with Pakistan during the 1971 war; students erupt in fury;300 injuredas protesters, ruling party supporters clash.
July 16:Clashes increase as police are sent out to quell protests; at leastsix people are killed, hundreds more are injured.
July 17:Hasina requests patience,vowing that upcoming Supreme Court verdict will please students; students continue protests now also against the deaths; government slows internet bandwidth to a crawl.
July 18:At least 19 more killed in fierce clashes; episode nowdeadliest unrestin over 10 years; reports of “near-total national internet shutdown.”
July 19: At least 67 killed by day’s end; government imposes curfew, shoot-at-sight order; hackers declare “[N]ot a protest anymore, it’s a war now” on PM’s website.
July 20: Students defy curfew; at least 25 killed; death toll passes 100.
July 21: Supreme Court decision slashes quotas to 7% from 56%; another 12 killed in clashes.
July 22: Uneasy calm in Dhaka; curfew on, internet off; two succumb to earlier injuries; death toll now 138.
July 23: Top hospital says more than 200 gunshot victims being treated; partial internet restoration; more than 2,000 arrested; many opposition members thrown in jail.
July 24: Semblance of normalcy returns to country; government says schools, colleges to stay shut until security deployed there; university students continue protests online on social media.