Unprecedented Upheaval: Bangladesh Faces Bloodiest Period Since Independence

Violence erupted in Bangladesh during anti-government protests, killing over 1,000 people and marking the bloodiest period since 1971. The protests, initially against job quotas, evolved into an uprising against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. An interim government led by Muhammad Yunus eventually restored order.

Violence that erupted in Bangladesh during last month's anti-government protests killed more than 1,000 people, the interim health ministry chief said on Thursday, marking it the bloodiest period in the country's history since its 1971 independence.

The unrest began with student-led protests against public sector job quotas, which escalated into broader opposition against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She resigned and fled to India on August 5, just as hundreds of protesters stormed her residence. An interim government, headed by Nobel prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, succeeded Hasina's administration and managed to quell the violence that had persisted even after her departure.

The interim health ministry chief, Nurjahan Begum, reported, "Over 1,000 people have been killed and over 400 students have lost their eyesight. Many have become blind in one eye or both eyes, and numerous individuals have had their legs amputated due to injuries." While the ministry did not specify the method for calculating the death toll, a home ministry official suggested it was likely based on hospital records and local administrative reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)