US calls on Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful protests

WASHINGTON: The United States has urged Bangladesh to uphold the right to peaceful protest after multiple people were killed and scores were wounded as the country's police resorted to using tear gas and rubber bullets on mass demonstrations against the government's job quota system.

"We condemn any violence against peaceful protesters. We've been watching this matter very closely, both from our embassy and officials here in Washington," said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday.

Students in the country have been protesting over public sector job quotas, which include a 30% reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 war.

The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

Demonstrations intensified after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina refused to meet the protesters' demands.

The protests are the first significant challenge to Hasina's government since she secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election that the US said was not free and fair.

Commenting on the situation, Miller further said: " We have been monitoring the protests, have seen the reports of people dying, being killed in the protests. And we again, call on the government to uphold individuals' rights to protest peacefully."

Washington's statement comes after at least six people, including at least three students, were killed during clashes between protesters and police on Tuesday PM Hasina announcing to form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.