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Internet Hasn't Been Restored in Bangladesh despite Apparent Calm Following Deadly Protests

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, amid the anti-quota protests in Dhaka on July 21, 2024. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, amid the anti-quota protests in Dhaka on July 21, 2024. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
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Internet Hasn't Been Restored in Bangladesh despite Apparent Calm Following Deadly Protests

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, amid the anti-quota protests in Dhaka on July 21, 2024. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, amid the anti-quota protests in Dhaka on July 21, 2024. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)

Internet and mobile data services are still down despite apparent calm in Bangladesh following a verdict that scaled back a controversial quota system for government jobs after weeks of relentless protests that turned deadly.
The government has also declared Monday a public holiday, with only essential services running. This comes after a curfew with a shoot-on-sight order was installed days earlier and military personnel could be seen patrolling the capital and other areas, The Associated Press said.
The South Asian country witnessed clashes between the police and mainly student protesters demanding an end to a quota that reserved 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.
The violence has killed more than a hundred people, according to at least four local newspapers. Authorities have not so far shared official figures for deaths. On Thursday, communications were cut off as tensions escalated.
There was no immediate violence reported on Monday morning after the Supreme Court ordered the veterans’ quota to be cut to 5%, with 93% of jobs allocated on merit, the day before. The remaining 2% will be set aside for members of ethnic minorities as well as transgender and disabled people.
On Sunday night, some student protesters urged the government to restore internet services. Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, told the Associated Press that they were withdrawing their calls for a complete shutdown, which they attempted to impose last week.
“But we are issuing an ultimatum for 48 hours to stop the digital crackdown and restore internet connectivity,” he said, adding that security officials deployed at various universities should be withdrawn, student dormitories reopened and steps taken so students can return to their campuses safely. Abdullah also said they wanted the government to end the curfew and ensure the country was back to normal within two days.
Students have also demanded some university officials to step down after failing to protect campuses. Sarjis Alam, another coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that they would continue with their protests if all their demands weren't met. “We cannot step back from our movement like a coward,” he added.
Another key organizer of the student protests, Nahid Islam, told reporters that the internet shutdown had disrupted their ability to communicate and alleged that authorities were trying to create divisions among protesters. “I am mentally traumatized ... our unity is being destroyed,” he said.
The US Embassy in the capital Dhaka described Sunday the situation as “extremely volatile” and “unpredictable,” adding that guns, tear gas and other weapons have been used in the vicinity of the embassy. They said the Bangladeshi army had been deployed and urged Americans to be vigilant, avoid large crowds and reconsider travel plans.
The protests have posed the most serious challenge to Bangladesh’s government since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January elections that the main opposition groups boycotted. Universities have been closed, the internet has been shut off and the government has ordered people to stay at home.
Protesters had argued the quota system was discriminatory and benefited supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and wanted it replaced by a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect regardless of political affiliation.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has backed the protests, vowing to organize its own demonstrations as many of its supporters joined the student-led protests.
The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country’s national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures.

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US Lawmakers Say Israel Hasn't Held to Account Those Involved in 2023 Strike That Killed Journalist

US Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) speaks during a press conference about an Israeli strike that hit a group of journalists in southern Lebanon in October 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, December 11, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) speaks during a press conference about an Israeli strike that hit a group of journalists in southern Lebanon in October 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, December 11, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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US Lawmakers Say Israel Hasn't Held to Account Those Involved in 2023 Strike That Killed Journalist

US Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) speaks during a press conference about an Israeli strike that hit a group of journalists in southern Lebanon in October 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, December 11, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) speaks during a press conference about an Israeli strike that hit a group of journalists in southern Lebanon in October 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, December 11, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Four US lawmakers on Thursday said there has been no accountability for an October 2023 attack by the Israeli military that struck a group of journalists in Lebanon, killing a Reuters correspondent and wounding others.

US Senator Peter Welch from Vermont, the home state of one of the journalists wounded in the attack, accused Israel of not conducting a serious investigation into the incident, saying he had seen no proof of that.

He did not specify what details he had requested from the Israeli government, or what, if anything, he had been given.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm what specific efforts Israel has made to investigate the attack, which it has pledged publicly to review.

On October 13, 2023, an Israeli tank fired two shells in quick succession from Israel as journalists were filming cross-border shelling. The attack killed Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah and severely wounded Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Christina Assi.

The Israeli military has said it does not target journalists but has not offered an explanation for why that Israeli tank unit fired at the group of journalists.

In a news conference organized by two advocacy groups, Welch, a Democrat, said he had been given no written proof of an Israeli investigation into the attack, nor any evidence that Israeli officials have spoken with victims, witnesses, shooters or any of the independent investigators.

In June 2025, Senator Welch’s office was told by the Embassy that the army had conducted an investigation into the incident and the conclusion was that none of the soldiers acted outside of the army's rules of engagement.

Standing next to AFP journalist Dylan Collins, an American citizen who was also wounded in the attack, Welch said the Israeli authorities have "stonewalled" him on his pleas for an investigation and gave him conflicting answers. Welch did not give further details about the interactions.

"The army has made no effort, none, to seriously investigate this incident," Welch said. "The army claimed they conducted an investigation but there's absolutely no evidence that there was any investigation," he added.

Welch said the Israeli government told his office the investigation was closed but separately told the AFP that the investigation was active and the findings have not been concluded.

"So which is it? Both can't be true," Welch said.

Asked by Reuters about Welch's comments and whether its investigation is concluded, an Israeli army spokesperson said: "The event is still being examined." The spokesperson did not provide further details.

AFP Regional Director for North America Marc Lavine said they had been seeking full accountability for what happened for more than two years.

"AFP calls on the Israeli authorities to reveal the results of any investigation and to hold those responsible to account,” Lavine said.

Since 2023, Reuters has asked the Israeli military to carry out a swift, thorough and transparent probe into the strike that killed Abdallah. It has still received no explanation from the army on the reasons for that strike, according to the news agency.

Democratic US Senator Chris Van Hollen said at the news conference that more needs to be done.

"We have not seen accountability or justice in this case," Van Hollen said. "It is part of a broader pattern of impunity, of attacks on Americans and on journalists by the government of Israel," he said.

US Representative Becca Balint and independent US Senator Bernie Sanders, both of whom are also from Vermont, said their efforts to seek justice for the journalists would continue.

In August this year, Israeli forces struck Nasser hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip, killing at least 20 people including journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and other outlets.

An Israeli military official told Reuters at the time that the two journalists for Reuters and the Associated Press who were killed in the Israeli attack were not "a target of the strike".

World

US Bombers Join Japanese Jets in Show of Force after China-Russia Drills, Tokyo Says

The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the US B-52 bomber over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and on December 10, 2025, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan - Reuters
The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the US B-52 bomber over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and on December 10, 2025, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan - Reuters
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US Bombers Join Japanese Jets in Show of Force after China-Russia Drills, Tokyo Says

The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the US B-52 bomber over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and on December 10, 2025, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan - Reuters
The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the US B-52 bomber over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and on December 10, 2025, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan - Reuters

US nuclear-capable bombers flew over the Sea of Japan alongside Japanese fighter jets on Wednesday, Tokyo said, in a show of force following Chinese and Russian drills in the skies and seas around US allies Japan and South Korea.

Japan and the US "reaffirmed their strong resolve to prevent any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force and confirmed the readiness posture of both the Self-Defense Forces and US forces," Japan's defense ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The flight of two US B-52 strategic bombers with three Japanese F-35 stealth fighters and three F-15 air-superiority jets was the first time the US had asserted its military presence since China began military exercises in the region last week amid heightened tensions between Tokyo and Beijing, Reuters reported.

However, a US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, played down the bomber flights, saying they were pre-planned well before the Chinese-Russian drills and that US and Japanese military aircraft carried out similar joint sorties last month, also involving US B-1B bombers. At the White House, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said US President Donald Trump can maintain both a "good working relationship" with China and a "very strong alliance" with Japan, even as tensions have risen between those two countries.

"Japan is a great ally of the United States as evidenced by their personal relationship and our continued trade relations with Japan," she told a press briefing.

"With respect to China, the president also has a good working relationship with President Xi, which he believes is a good thing for our country." The US bomber flights follow a joint flight of Chinese and Russian strategic bombers in the East China Sea and western Pacific on Tuesday and separate Chinese aircraft carrier drills that prompted Japan to scramble jets that Tokyo said were targeted by radar beams. That latter incident prompted US State Department criticism of Beijing, although Trump, who plans to visit the Chinese capital next year for trade talks, told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month he did not want to see further escalation of the dispute over Taiwan, according to two Japanese government sources.

Tensions flared last month when Takichi said in parliament that a Chinese attack on democratically governed Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing, could trigger a military response from Tokyo. Taiwan sits just over 100 km (62 miles) from Japanese territory and is surrounded by sea lanes on which Tokyo relies.

China denied Tokyo’s accusation about the carrier aircraft encounter, saying Japanese jets had endangered its air operations south of Japan. On Tuesday, the State Department said China's actions were "not conducive to regional peace and stability" and reaffirmed the US alliance with Japan as "unwavering."

SHOW OF FORCE

Both Japan and South Korea host US forces, with Japan home to the biggest concentration of American military power overseas, including an aircraft carrier strike group and a US Marine expeditionary force.

Japan's Chief of Staff, Joint Staff General Hiroaki Uchikura, said the Chinese and Russian joint bomber flight was clearly a show of force directed at Japan.

"We consider it a grave concern from the standpoint of Japan's security," Uchikura told a press briefing.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also shared Japan's concerns with NATO chief Mark Rutte in a telephone call on Wednesday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the drills with Russia were part of an annual cooperation plan to show determination to "safeguard regional peace and stability".

"The Japanese side has no need to make a fuss about nothing or to take this personally," he said.

ACTIVITY NEAR SOUTH KOREA, TAIWAN

South Korea’s military said it also scrambled fighter jets when the Chinese and Russian aircraft entered its air defense identification zone on Tuesday, an area that extends beyond its airspace and is used for early warning.

Chinese military ships and aircraft operate almost daily around Taiwan, in what Taipei says is part of Beijing's ongoing pressure campaign. On Thursday, Taiwan's defense ministry reported a stepped-up Chinese military presence for a second day in a row. It said it had detected 27 aircraft, including nuclear-capable H-6K bombers, conducting a "joint combat readiness patrol", along with warships around the island.

World

Iran Appeals to UN Over 'Tightening Restrictions' on Its Diplomats in New York

The United Nations logo adorns a window at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 18, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
The United Nations logo adorns a window at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 18, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
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Iran Appeals to UN Over 'Tightening Restrictions' on Its Diplomats in New York

The United Nations logo adorns a window at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 18, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
The United Nations logo adorns a window at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 18, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

Tehran called on the United Nations to intervene in what it called the "tightening of restrictions on Iran's diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York", according to a foreign ministry statement published on Thursday.

The statement also condemned a decision by the US State Department "to prevent the continuation of the activities" of three employees of Iran's mission in New York, Reuters reported.

The statement did not specify when the restrictions had been tightened, but in September, the United States imposed strict limits on the Iranian delegation attending the UN General Assembly in New York, curbing their movement and banning access to wholesale stores and luxury goods.

"The imposition of extensive restrictions on the residence and movement of Iranian diplomats, tightening restrictions on bank accounts, and imposing restrictions on daily purchases are among the pressures and harassment ... to disrupt the normal and legal duties of Iranian diplomats," the statement said.

Prior to the September restrictions, Iranian delegation members were allowed to travel between the United Nations, the Iranian UN mission, the Iranian UN ambassador's residence and John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington heightened after the two countries engaged in five rounds of indirect nuclear negotiations that ended with a 12-day air war in June in which Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites.