21 July
26 killed in Saturday’s violence, 124 in four days
This report was published on 21 July, but is only appearing online today 24 July, due to the prolonged Internet blackout
According to reports, 26 persons were killed on Saturday in spates of clashes and violence Dhaka, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Savar and Narsingdi. Of them, 15 were killed in Dhaka, according to records of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Outside of Dhaka, four were killed in Mymensingh, four in Savar, two in Gazipur and one in Narsingdi.
Those killed on Saturday include two members of the police and one young boy. Most of those killed were youth.
There is news of another 19 being killed on Friday, bringing that day’s death toll up to 75. In total, 148 persons were killed over Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, according to information gathered from hospitals and relatives. Information from all hospitals was not available.
Violence broke out from Monday centering the demand for quota reforms. But the deaths over these six days took place on four days – Tuesday 6, Thursday 41, Friday 75 and Saturday 26.
There were marks of bullet injuries on the bodies of many of the killed, according to hospital sources and physicians. There were also marks of rubber bullet injuries.
26 killed on Saturday
The government declared curfew on Friday night and army tropes were deployed around the country.
At Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday, 14 were declared dead after being brought to the hospital. The two police among the killed were assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Tourist Police, Muktadir, 48, and DMP protection division’s naik Gias Uddin. Both had head injuries. According to DMP, till Friday 167 policemen were injured, and 50 of them were under treatment in hospital.
On Saturday, the bodies brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Jatrabari and Shanir Akhra.
Those who were brought dead to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday from Jatrabari and Shanir Akhra were Imam Hasan Tayeem, 19, Jishan, 33, Yunus Ali Shaon, 25, Yusuf Miah alias Sanwar, 35, and Habib, 30, from Mirpur, Kamrul Miah, 27, from Kadamtali, Sohel, 35, from Sighboard in Narayanganj, Arif, 35, and an unidentified child, 10. Three died while under treatment. They were Bhatara’s Abdul Hannan, 32, and Shubho, 16, and Abdullah Al Abir, 23.
One of those killed on Saturday was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. The hospital records state that 10 dead bodies were taken there on Friday, though the total was more, said sources. An accurate figure was not available.
Deaths on Saturday outside Dhaka
According to sources, the four killed in violence in Mymensingh are Rakib, 19, student Jubair, 21, student Biplob, 18, and Saidul Islam, 42.
Killed in Savar were poultry trader Korban Ali, 60, mason’s assistant Mehdi Hasan, 24, student Saad Mahmud Khan, 14 and rickshawpuller Tipu Sultan, 27.
Friday death toll all over the country reached 75.
Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik told Prothom Alo, accountability and justice for all these deaths must be ensured.