Thirteen police officers were killed in Sirajganj amid a series of nationwide protests that started peacefully. These protests were driven by demands for reforms to the quota system, which reserved 30% of government jobs for descendants of freedom fighters, leaving only 46% for merit-based appointments in a country with 30 million unemployed people.
On Saturday, the Awami League directed its leaders and workers to take to the streets. Following these orders, Awami League workers armed themselves with traditional weapons and on Sunday morning attacked unarmed students and civilians, alongside the police, who were initially there to manage the protests.
The situation in Sirajganj escalated dramatically when police allegedly kidnapped two protesters and executed them at point-blank range. This act of violence enraged the protestors, leading them to besiege the police station and kill the thirteen officers inside.
The situation in Sirajganj escalated dramatically when police allegedly kidnapped two protesters and executed them at point-blank range. This act of violence enraged the protestors, leading them to besiege the police station and kill the thirteen officers inside. The police are widely blamed for provoking the violence, as their actions were seen as those of partisan enforcers rather than neutral state employees.
In the broader context, the country has been engulfed in violence. According to unofficial counts, police and armed thugs aligned with the ruling party have killed approximately 1,700 students. Mass graves of these slain students are still being discovered in various parts of the country. Amidst ongoing protests, 93 people were killed today in clashes between the public, police, and armed hooligans associated with the ruling Awami League party.
The widespread unrest and the tragic loss of life in Sirajganj highlight the severe tensions and divisions within Bangladesh, underscoring the urgent need for a resolution to the conflict and the demands of the protesters.
