Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh government has extended the curfew for an indefinite period in Dhaka, all divisional cities, district towns, upazila towns, city corporation areas, municipal areas, and industrial areas from 6:00pm on Sunday.
Additionally, the government has declared a three-day public holiday across the country starting Monday.
The Home Ministry announced the curfew in response to violent clashes among protesters, members of law enforcement agencies, and members of ruling party-backed organisations.
These clashes occurred on the first day of the non-cooperation movement initiated by the leaders of the Students Movement against Discrimination, who are demanding the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Previously, the government had imposed a curfew for an indefinite period with breaks and deployed military forces from 20th July amid nationwide violence related to the movement demanding reforms in government jobs.
Abdullah Shibly Sadiq, the Public Relations Officer of the Public Administration Ministry, confirmed the news of the public holiday.
Both decisions come after clashes erupted across the country, resulting in at least 88 fatalities among protesters, members of law enforcement agencies, and members of ruling party-backed organisations in Dhaka, Feni, Narsingdi, Bogura, Jaipurhat, Sylhet, Cumilla, Rangpur, Kishoreganj, Sirajganj, Pabna, Munshiganj, and Magura on Sunday.
Earlier, the government announced three days of general holidays from 21st to 23rd July to ensure public safety amid ongoing violent protests across the country.
During a rally attended by thousands at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Saturday, protesting students announced a single-point demand for the resignation of the government, diverging from their earlier nine-point charter of demands seeking justice for victims of the quota reform movement, which resulted in over 200 deaths in July.
The students also rejected a call for dialogue made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier in the day.