Clashes at Bangladesh University Over Job Quotas Leave Dozens Injured

Violent clashes erupted at Jahangir Nagar University in Savar, Bangladesh, between a pro-government student body and protesters demanding an end to a job quota favoring descendants of war heroes. The violence left dozens injured and spread following a High Court decision to reinstate the disputed quotas.

Violent clashes erupted overnight at Jahangir Nagar University in Savar, just outside Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Protests demanding an end to a government job quota for descendants of the country's war heroes escalated, resulting in police firing tear gas and charging with batons. Dozens of students were injured in the confrontations.

The violence was sparked by a recent High Court decision to reinstate a controversial 30% job quota for the families of those who fought in Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. The quota system, which also includes reservations for women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities, had been suspended in 2018 after similar protests.

The renewed protests saw demonstrators blocking traffic in Dhaka and clashing with the police and the ruling party's student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League. The Supreme Court has temporarily halted the High Court's order, demanding a resolution within four weeks while urging students to return to their classes. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stated that the issue is now in the hands of the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)