Anti-quota protests: US urges Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful demonstrations

WASHINGTON: The United States has called on Bangladesh to uphold the right to peaceful protest amid demonstrations against the government's job quota system in which police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets amid violent clashes that have left at least six dead and scores injured.

The protests turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party across the country. Six people, including at least three students, were killed during clashes on Tuesday, police said.

Students have protested over public sector job quotas, which include a 30% reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 war. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.

The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

"We condemn any violence against peaceful protesters. We've been watching this matter very closely, both from our embassy and officials here in Washington. (We) have been monitoring the protests, have seen the reports of people dying, being killed in the protests. And we again, call on the government to uphold individual's rights to protest peacefully," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday.

Demonstrations intensified after Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, refused to meet the protesters' demands.

The protests are the first significant challenge to Hasina's government since she secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election that the US said was not free and fair.