147 killed in quota protest clashes, says home minister

This is the first time the government has released an official death toll, though media reports have put the toll at over 200

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan says that so far the government has received information of 147 deaths in clashes during the quota reform protests.

“So far, our initial count says that 147 people were killed,” he said at the Secretariat on Sunday in response to a question.

This is the first time the government has released an official death toll since violence sparked surrounding the protests on Jul 16. However, media reports have put the toll at over 200.

In response to another question, the home minister said, “The police never opened fire in an overzealous manner. They remained patient and only fired when they were forced to.”

Media reports say that several thousand people have been arrested in connection with the violence and the attacks on government agencies.

Khan claimed ‘no innocent person’ is being arrested.

“The accused are being arrested on the basis of video evidence.”

The High Court declared a 2018 circular scrapping the quota system for government jobs was invalid, leading to students and job seekers reviving the quota reform movement with protests at the start of July. The scope and scale of the protests gradually increased.

The situation changed on Jul 15 when the Chhatra League clashed with quota protesters on the Dhaka University campus. The following day, reports said that six people were killed in clashes in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rangpur.

In response, the protesters declared a ‘complete shutdown’ programme on Jul 18. Students from private universities, schools and colleges took to the streets in solidarity with the quota movement that day. Many rumours swirled across the country and attacks were carried out on several state agencies and government property. The death toll began to tick up.

Attacks vandalised and torched the BTV building in Rampura, two metro rail stations, the Setu Bhaban in Banani, the Directorate of Disaster Management in Mohakhali and the Directorate of Health Services. Power substations were attacked too.

The following day, the violence worsened across the country. Eventually the government imposed a curfew and deployed the army. The government announced three days of general holidays in two rounds as the country nearly came to a standstill.

As the law and order situation improved, the curfew was eased and offices and factories reopened. Long-haul buses and launches are running too, but train service is still suspended.