Death toll rises in Bangladesh protests
The death toll in the protests in Bangladesh, sparked by the allocation of public sector quotas to families of those who participated in the 1971 Independence War, has risen to 151.
The protests, which began on July 16, have seen a significant increase in casualties, according to local media reports.
Following the Supreme Court's reversal of its initial decision after violent incidents, the main organizing group, Students Against Discrimination, issued a statement. "We welcome the Supreme Court's decision. However, we will not end our protests until the government issues a ruling that reflects our demands," said the group's spokesperson.
Last month, the Supreme Court reinstated the quota system, which had been abolished in 2018. However, after the violence, the court canceled most of the quotas, ruling that 93% of public sector positions should be filled based on merit, without quotas.
Bangladesh Attorney General Amin Uddin stated that 5% of public sector positions would continue to be reserved for children of Independence War participants, while 2% would be allocated to other groups.
