Protests, violence, killings marked the first day of curfew imposed by the government on midnight Friday while many people defied the order to go out of their homes for works and other purposes.聽
The government imposed the curfew and deployed army after at least 112 people were killed across the country between Tuesday and Friday in demonstrations seeking a reform in job quotas.聽
At least 24 more people were killed on Saturday in clashes between law enforcers and protesters in Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country until filing this report at 10:30pm, taking the confirmed death toll from protests in five days to 136.
Scores of people were also injured in clashes on the day.
Of the latest victims, 13 were killed in Dhaka city, four in Savar, five in Narsingdi and two in Gazipur.
Amid the prevailing situation, the government in an executive order on Saturday announced two-day general holidays for Sunday and Monday.聽
Although the curfew was relaxed for two hours from 12pm to 2:00pm, many people were seen roaming on Dhaka streets throughout the day.
People dared to defy the curfew mostly in areas, where there was no presence of army personnel.
A good number of people came to Mohakhali Bus Terminal, Gulistan and Sadarghat Launch Terminal to travel to different destinations, though no buses and launches left Dhaka for any place in the country.
The protesters blocked major entry points of Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Chattogram highways triggering clashes that also disrupted emergency services.聽
Army was seen taking positions in several Dhaka city areas, including Uttara, Motijheel, Agargaon, Bijoy Sarani, Segun Bagicha,聽 Purana Paltan, Hatkhola, Sayadabad.
抖阴精品 correspondents reported that a large number of military force were deployed in the capital.
Hundreds of protesters occupied a stretch of two kilometer road from Malibagh to Rampura, prompting army persons to use loudspeakers to ask them to leave the place before a clash ensued, said a witness.
Witnesses reported similar clashes in the capital鈥檚 Jatrabari, Mohammadpur and Azimpur areas.聽
The situation in Rampura and Jatrabari were particularly bad, they said.
Army members opened fire targeting the protesters near Rampura Bazar using APC at about 2:10pm.
Chase, counter-chase between protesters and police, Bangladesh Army and members of auxiliary force Ansar continued the rest of the day in Malibagh, Rampura and Badda areas.
Law enforcers managed to clear Merul Badda areas at about 9:15pm, said an official of Badda police station. Clashes in Uttar Badda area, however, were still continuing, he said.
In Jatrabari, police were seen firing at protesters taking position underneath Mayor Hanif Flyover while members of Rapid Action Battalion and Bangladesh Army had a strong presence in the area.
Protesters took position in the Dhaka-Chattogram highway from Jatrabari to Signboard.
Among the 12 dead bodies that arrived in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, 11 were from Jatrabari, Badda and Rampura areas and one was from Azimpur areas, said DMCH police outpost in-charge Bachchu Mia.
The victims include Gias Uddin, 58, a police member, who succumbed to his injury on Saturday after being beaten by some people in Rayerbagh area on Friday.
Muktadir, an assistant sub-inspector was killed being hit by bullet in Rayerbagh area on Saturday.聽
Furniture shop employee Kamrul Mia, 27 and a 25-year old unidentified youth were shot dead in Badda while Imam Hasan Taium, 19, a student of Adamji Cantonment College, Yousuf Mia, 35, Jahangir, 40, Habib, 40, Sohel, 35, a mobile service worker,聽 were shot dead in Shonirakhra.
An unidentified 27-year old youth was shot in Azimpur. Sheikh Shahriar, 19, a madrassah student, who was shot on Friday, died on Saturday.
A minor boy, aged about 10 was taken to DMCH after being hit by bullet on Saturday.聽聽
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital director Shaifur Rahman confirmed that a bullet-hit body was brought to the hospital on Saturday.
Capital鈥檚 Mohammadpur area turned into a battlefield when police and protesters started clashing around 4:00pm.
Witnesses said that protesters broke the curfew to take position in Gabtoli-Sadarghat road and other link roads in the afternoon before the clash started.
The protesters set fire on a BRTC bus and vandalised several other establishments during the clash.
Police also fired teargas, rubber bullets and shotgun to disperse the protesters, who hit back with brickbats and stones.
Protesters created obstruction to vehicular movement on roads connected to Mohamamdpur but terminal.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police said a total of 267 police members were injured between Tuesday and Friday.
In Savar, four protesters were killed in clashes with police in Radio Colony and bus stand area on Saturday, said Enam Medical College Hospital shift in-charge Md Yusuf, who added that all victims bore the marks of bullet-injury.
The victims are Md Korban Ali, 60, a businessman living in Shaheebagh, Md Rony 27, a rickshaw puller hailed from Bogura, Mehedi Hasan 24, a mason hailed from Mymensingh and teenager Saad Mahmud.
Jahangirnagar University students under the banner of Students Movement Against Discrimination also blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway for about half an hour from 3:30pm defying curfew.
Following the blockade, students brought out a protest procession that went to campus.
Students laid the foundation stone of a monument to be built in front of the university鈥檚 old Fazilatunnesa Hall in memory of their fellows killed in protests.
Abdullah Salehin Ayon, a coordinator of the student protests added that police took away at least five of their leaders, including Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the Students Movement Against Discrimination.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police detective branch鈥檚 deputy commissioner Shahin Shah Alam denied the allegation of arresting any quota movement leaders.聽
抖阴精品 correspondent in Narsingdi reported that protesters vandilised a highway police outpost near Dhaka-Sylhet highway, following a clash.
Narshindghi Itkhola police outpost in-charge Elias Ahmed confirmed the deaths of five people during Saturday鈥檚 clash. The victims include four students 鈥� Suzon, 19, Siam, 18, Hridoy, 21, Amzad, 17.
Another unidentified middle aged man was shot in Dhela Nagar.
Protesters staged demonstration on Dhaka鈥揝ylhet highway at Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria while students blocked Shibbari Mor in Khulna, 抖阴精品 correspondents in the district reported.
Protesters also demonstrated in Pabna and Kishoreganj.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Chattogram reported that police arrested 41 people in connection with five cases filed with Chandgaon and Kotwali police stations.
Additional deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police Tarique Aziz confirmed the arrests.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Barishal reported that leaders and activists of Bangladesh Samajtrantrik Dal brought out a procession wearing black badge from its office in Fakirbari road of Barishal city around noon protesting at the killing of people during the ongoing unrest.
However, police dispersed the procession when it reached the main road.
