Bangladesh begins to return to normalcy as curfew eased after unrest

In Bangladesh, life is beginning to return to normalcy as the national holiday concludes and the government has relaxed the curfew that was imposed to control violence since last Friday night. The curfew, which had been enforced for an indefinite period, is now in effect only for seven hours daily, from 10 am to 5 pm.

Public and private establishments, including garment factories, banks, and stock exchanges, have reopened, and employees and workers have resumed their duties. Many apparel factories, particularly those in Dhaka and neighboring districts, have started operations again following a meeting between business leaders and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.

Law enforcement agencies remain vigilant at key points throughout the city to prevent any further disturbances, according to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangtha. Additionally, broadband internet has been restored in specific areas, such as diplomatic and commercial zones, after a five-day outage. However, social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube are still inaccessible.

The curfew and subsequent internet blackout had significant impacts on daily life, affecting common people, travelers, daily wage workers, and the fragile Bangladeshi economy. The violence, which erupted over quota reform issues, led to at least 160 deaths, including three journalists and several police officers, with thousands more injured.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami group and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of attempting to conduct terrorist activities during the curfew. She warned that the government would take stringent actions against the “BNP-Jamaat Clique.”

In the past four days, police have arrested more than 2,500 people, including opposition activists and leaders. The deployment of armed forces has helped reduce violent clashes, and while the situation is under control, it will take time for normalcy to fully return. Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, who met with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, stated that soldiers will continue to patrol the streets until stability is fully restored.