At Least 29 Members of Bangladeshi Former Ruling Political Party Perish Overnight
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The bodies of former members of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League political party have been discovered in several Bangladeshi cities, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
According to the newspaper, "at least 10 people were killed in attacks and violence in Satkhira following news of Sheikh Hasina's resignation from the post of prime minister and her departure from the country on Monday."
The houses and businesses belonging to the party’s leaders and activists were vandalized and looted, TASS reported.
In the town of Cumilla, "at least 11 people were killed in mob attacks." Six more people died when a house of a former Awami League official was set on fire.
The family members of party activists, including children, are also among the fatalities.
On Monday, amid disturbances, Hasina resigned and left Bangladesh. The protesters stormed her residence and massive looting and arsons broke out across the country.
Bangladesh’s army commander, Waker-uz-Zaman, has confirmed that an interim government is being formed. He called for stopping violence and promised that the new government will investigate all the deaths during the protests.
Students took to the streets in various cities of Bangladesh in early July, demanding the abolition of job quotas for relatives of participants in the 1971 war of independence. The situation in the republic has escalated, with demonstrations growing into riots.
Anti-government protests flared up again in the capital city of Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities on August 4. According to the Daily Star newspaper, at least 10,000 people have been arrested since the outbreak of riots. At least 350 people have died in the protests, AFP said, citing local police and medics. Meanwhile, the India Today television channel cited unofficial sources as saying that the number of victims may range from 1,000 to 1,400.