At least 32 children died during student protests that engulfed Bangladesh last month, according to the UN’s children’s agency. A Unicef spokesperson stated that the youngest victim was under five years old, and most of the deceased were bystanders. Over 200 people were killed during the protests against job quotas in the civil service, as verified by media.
Following a Supreme Court ruling, the government has scaled back the quota system, but students continue to protest, demanding justice for those killed, injured, or detained. Despite the smaller scale of the current protests, the government struggles to manage the growing anger over its initial response.
A crowd gathered outside Dhaka’s largest mosque after Friday prayers, asking, “Why are our brothers in graves and the killers outside?” according to media. Security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets against the protesters, injuring at least 20 people, as reported by Reuters.
Sanjay Wijesekera, Unicef’s regional director for South Asia, highlighted reports of children being detained during his visit to Bangladesh. He called the 32 confirmed deaths “a terrible loss.” Most of those killed were aged 13 or older, with one child under five and another between six and 12. “Children must be protected at all times,” Wijesekera emphasized.
Bangladeshi Junior Information Minister Mohammad Ali Arafat stated that the government had no information on Unicef’s death toll and promised to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the deaths. Security forces have been accused of using excessive force during the initial protests, with many victims suffering gunshot wounds. The government, however, blamed political opponents for the unrest, claiming that several police officers were also killed.
On Thursday, the government banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, accusing them of involvement in the violence. Anisul Huq, Bangladesh’s law minister, stated that the opposition party participated in the killings and property destruction. The opposition leader condemned the ban as “illegal, extrajudicial, and unconstitutional.”
Student protest leaders were detained for a week for their protection, officials claimed, but their release on Thursday has not quelled the outrage. In a joint statement on Friday, the students alleged “harassment, torture, and drama” during their detention and urged continued protests. Nearly 10,000 people have reportedly been detained since the crackdown began.
Arafat defended the detentions, stating that the government prioritized the student leaders’ protection due to potential threats to their lives.
