Bangladesh Protests Escalate as Students Demand Reforms Amid Allegations of Police Brutality

Protests in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, began in early July over the reintroduction of quotas for government jobs, with students mobilizing against the move. The protests have been marked by clashes with police and military, resulting in the reported deaths of almost 150 people. Student activists, including Nahid Islam, a main organizer of the protest movement, have alleged that they were abducted and tortured by police during the crackdown. Islam and two others, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumder, were taken from a hospital despite the objections of medical staff. The government, led by Sheikh Hasina, has been accused of using excessive force against the student protesters, and is expected to roll back the quota system that sparked the violence.