On the 4th, a demonstration calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina took place in Bangladesh, resulting in clashes between ruling party members and police in the capital Dhaka and other areas, leaving at least 93 people dead and many injured. Fourteen police officers were among the dead, according to local media. The government has issued an indefinite curfew across the country as a security measure, and has decided to make the 5th to 7th holidays.

In Bangladesh, student protests calling for the elimination of preferential quotas for civil servant recruitment have intensified since July, and there are fears that the resurgence of protests will lead to continued political instability. After attending a security-related meeting, Hasina criticized the protests, saying, “It is not students who are protesting now, but terrorists. They are trying to destabilize the country.”

The government has restricted internet access for mobile phones, making the social networking site Facebook and the communication app WhatsApp unusable. (Kyodo News)