Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Tens of thousands rally as Bangladesh job protests spread

Tens of thousands of university students marched in cities across Bangladesh on Wednesday (11) in one of the biggest protests faced by prime minister Sheikh Hasina in her decade in power.

Students fighting against a controversial policy that sets aside government jobs for special groups have united in mass protests rarely seen on such a scale in Bangladesh.


In Dhaka chanting mobs of students blockaded major roads and swarmed Dhaka University, bringing traffic to a standstill in the congested capital of 15 million.

Police were deployed to the university where clashes in recent days left more than 100 students injured by tear gas and rubber bullets.

"There are more than 5,000 protesters at the DU," a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer, referring to Bangladesh's most prestigious university.

Police in Savar, northwest of Dhaka, said an estimated 7,000 students had descended on a major highway linking traffic to the capital, causing chaos.

"They completely blockaded the road," police inspector Abdul Awal said.

In Chittagong, the second-largest city, some 4,000 students blocked a railway track and roads, police said.

Protesters also caused disruptions in the major cities of Khulna, Barisal, Kushtia, Comilla, Mymensingh and Gopalganj.

The prime minister told parliament she had instructed her cabinet secretary to review the quota system and try to resolve the situation.

"Why should the people suffer? she said in a speech to parliament as reported by private broadcaster Ntv.

She condemned the violence and said in the past three civil service tests, more than 70 percent of the posts were recruited on merit.

Protests intensified Wednesday after allegations circulated widely on social media of a violent confrontation between a ruling party activist and a student protest leader.

Demonstrators want the share of top government positions set aside for minority groups and the disabled significantly reduced.

They are also particularly irate that 30 percent of government positions are reserved for descendents of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 independence war.

The government has promised to review the quota system but that caused a rift among demonstrators, with some accepting the assurance and others rejecting it.

A pro-government faction of the student movement had postponed its protest action but left-leaning groups pledged to keep up the fight.

"These job quotas are discriminatory. We want equal opportunities for all," said protestor Nur Mohammad, who said he missed out on a coveted government job because of the allocation system.

Hasina -- whose father was the architect of the Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan -- has in the past rejected demands to slash the quotas.

More For You

Spain earthquakes

Almería airport sustained damage in its departures lounge

CSmonitor

Spain earthquakes: What we know about the 5.4-magnitude tremor that shook tourist regions

Highlights:

  • A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Almería, southern Spain, at 7.13 am on Monday
  • The tremor was felt in over 50 towns, including tourist destinations like Malaga
  • No injuries have been reported, but building damage occurred in airports and showrooms
  • The quake follows a weekend of floods and severe weather in Spain
  • No UK Foreign Office travel warnings have been issued, but travellers are advised to check local alerts

Southern Spain was rocked by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake on the morning of Monda,y 14 July, with tremors felt across several provinces, including popular tourist destinations.

The earthquake struck at 7.13 am off the coast of Almería, nearly two miles below sea level, according to Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN). Despite its intensity, there have been no reported injuries, although some structural damage has occurred.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Air India chief says crash report opens new questions, no conclusions yet

A PRELIMINARY report into last month's Air India plane crash that killed 260 people has raised further questions, and the investigation is still ongoing, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in a memo to staff on Monday.

The initial report, released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday, pointed to confusion in the cockpit shortly before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump-Getty

Trump will become the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

King Charles to host Donald Trump for state visit in September

KING CHARLES will host US president Donald Trump in September for a second state visit to Britain, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.

The visit is scheduled to take place from 17 to 19 September.

Keep ReadingShow less
southend london plane crash

A plume of black smoke rises from an area near the runway after a small plane crash, as seen from inside a building at London Southend Airport on July 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Southend Airport closed after plane crash

LONDON Southend Airport in Essex has been closed until further notice after a small plane crashed at the airport on England’s south-east coast on Sunday, according to police.

In a post on X, London Southend Airport said all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while emergency services, police, and air accident investigators are at the scene.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Reeves

'This fund will give hundreds of thousands of children, young people and their families a better chance,' Reeves said in a statement. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Government launches £500 million fund for vulnerable children

THE UK government on Sunday launched a £500 million Better Futures Fund aimed at supporting up to 200,000 vulnerable children over the next 10 years.

According to the government, the fund will focus on helping struggling families by improving children's access to education and ensuring a safe home environment.

Keep ReadingShow less