Bangladesh protests: 19 more killed in anti-quota clashes, death toll touches 25

Violent clashes in Bangladesh over government job allocation system lead to 19 deaths, sparking nationwide protests and chaos.

Police in Bangladesh clashed with student protesters attempting to impose a “complete shutdown” of the country on Thursday, following days of violent confrontations during demonstrations over a system of allocating government jobs, with media reports saying 19 more people died across the country.

Dhaka-based leading Prothom Alo newspaper, which has a strong network of reporters across the country, said that by late Thursday night, they received reports of 19 deaths in Dhaka and elsewhere in the raging violence. The country’s leading English-language Daily Star also reported 19 deaths.

With the latest toll, the number of deaths has reached 25, since Tuesday when six others lost their lives in the violence.

The dailies said hundreds more were injured on Thursday.

Authorities didn't confirm the figures immediately.

Prothom Alo said at least six people died in Dhaka's Uttara area alone in the latest clashes between the protesters and the security officials and ruling party activists. Thirteen others including a Dhaka-based journalist of an online portal died in other parts of the capital and elsewhere.

Also read | India urges citizens in Bangladesh to stay indoors in advisory as deadly protests escalate