Canada "deeply concerned" by escalation of violence following protests in Bangladesh
Jul 20, 2024
Ottawa [Canada], July 21 : Canada is "deeply concerned" by the escalation in violence following protests in Bangladesh and has called on all parties involved to work together for a peaceful resolution, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said on Saturday.
In a post on X, Melanie Joly stated, "Canada is deeply concerned by the escalation in violence following the protests in Bangladesh. We call on all parties involved to work together to end further violence and come to a peaceful resolution."
Canada's Minister of National Defence Bill Blair also expressed concern over the ongoing violence in Bangladesh, and termed the loss of lives and attacks on student protesters "troubling and unacceptable."
Taking to X, Bill Blair stated, "I'm deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in Bangladesh. The ongoing loss of life - including attacks on student protesters - is troubling and unacceptable. Democratic freedoms and the rule of law are essential and must be respected."
The protests in Bangladesh have been driven by demands for reform of the country's quota system for civil service jobs, which reserves positions for specific groups, including descendants of those who participated in the 1971 War of Independence against Pakistan.
As the student-led anti-government protests surge in Bangladesh, the country has imposed a curfew, and the authorities have disabled mobile internet services nationwide, citing the need to curb disinformation, The Washington Post reported.
Following the curfew, the authorities have also shut down schools and universities indefinitely. Bangladesh announced a nationwide curfew on Friday evening after clashes between police and various student groups killed dozens of people, according to The Washington Post.
Moreover, the protesters attacked the state television headquarters in Dhaka and set fire to police booths on Thursday as they called for a "complete shutdown" of the country.
The ongoing running street battles between security forces using rubber bullets and tear gas have forced life in several neighbourhoods of Bangladesh to a halt, The Washington Post reported, citing Bangladeshi media.
