Dhaka, July 24 (EFE).- Bangladesh on Wednesday relaxed the curfew it imposed to contain student protests and allowed the opening of public and private offices while internet services functioned partially in some parts of the country.
While the curfew will continue on Wednesday and Thursday, restrictions will be relaxed between 10 am to 5 pm, the official Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported.
Public and private offices also reopened from 11 am to 3 pm on Wednesday, according to an announcement by the Public Administration Ministry, the agency said.
Bangladesh’s textile factories, which have been closed since the government imposed a curfew at midnight on Friday, also reopened on Wednesday, according to local media reports.
Both actions, together with the partial withdrawal of the internet blockade that came into effect five days ago, bring some relief to tensions in the country, which last week saw violent clashes between the police and thousands of students demanding the annulment of a quota system that reserved about one-third of government jobs for the families of veterans of the 1971 independence war.
The demonstrations, which began at the start of the month, turned violent on July 15, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rejected the demands and the police began to crack down on the protesters.
The clashes have so far left 130 people dead, mostly students and civilians, according to EFE’s tally, in addition to more than 400 injured.
On Sunday, the Supreme Court ordered that the quota be reduced but the young people are now demanding an investigation into the deaths.
A 48-hour truce announced on Monday by the students is set to end on Wednesday without any announcement on what their next steps will be. EFE
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