Protesters set 48h deadline for Bangladesh's government | DW News

Bangladesh protest organizers are giving authorities a two-day "ultimatum" to restore internet service and end curfew, after clashes between students, pro-government supporters and armed police killed dozens last week.

Why are Bangladesh students halting protests?

Nahid Islam, the leader of the group, told the French AFP news agency that the reversal of their protest calls was due to the high death tollin the unrest. "We started this movement for reforming the quota," Islam said. "But we did not want quota reform at the expense of so much blood, so much killing, so much damage to life and property." According to information from hospitals, nearly 150 people died in the protests. Police said on Monday that more than 500 people, including opposition politicians, have been arrested in the unrest in the capital, Dhaka.

What is the Bangladesh job quota?

The quotas originally reserved 30% of positions in the civil service for the families of people who fought for independence from Pakistan in the so-called Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The quota rules were scrapped by the government in 2018, but a court reintroduced the system last month. The move caused widespread anger, particularly among the country's young people, who make up around a fifth of the population. The Supreme Court ruled that just 5% of civil service jobs would remain reserved for children of independence war veterans and 2% for other categories.

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