Dhaka: At least 232 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina on Monday, according to a media report on Thursday, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July.
Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country after weeks of tumultuous student protests against her regime.
A total of 232 were reported dead as of Wednesday evening since Hasina's ouster, Prothom Alo newspaper reported.
Before this, some 328 persons were killed in the clashes centring a movement around the quota system in government jobs from July 16 to August 4. In all, some 560 people died over the last 23 days.
Some 21 more persons were killed as of Wednesday. Most of the 232 people died on Tuesday. Some of them died while undergoing treatment.
In Gazipur, some 209 inmates fled from the Kashimpur high-security prison on Tuesday. The prison guards opened fire to stop the inmates from fleeing. Six people, including three militants, were killed in the incident, prison sources said.
The police headquarters has requested everyone to cooperate with the police members so that they can join their workstations.
Security concerns have gripped the country since Hasina’s ouster as police observed a work abstention, citing fears for their safety amid reports of deadly attacks on security personnel.
The call was made through a short message sent from the police headquarters on Thursday morning.
Earlier on Wednesday, newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Mainul Islam directed the police members across the country to join their respective workstations within 24 hours.
There has been no traffic police on the road for the last three days. Students and representatives of other voluntary organisations have been working as traffic police on the roads of the capital for three consecutive days.
Meanwhile, two leaders from Hasina's Awami League were detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at the Darshana ICP check post in Chuadanga while attempting to flee the country.
Rajshahi City Corporation Ward Councillor and Rajshahi Metropolitan Awami League General Secretary Rajab Ali along with his associate Zakir Hossain were detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at the Darshana ICP check post in Chuadanga while attempting to flee the country.
BGB personnel became suspicious when the two attempted to cross into India on Wednesday morning. They were detained and interrogated, during which they admitted to fleeing the country.