Bangladesh's PM Hasina criticized for crying over damaged train station
Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is facing criticism after being photographed crying at a destroyed metro rail station in Mirpur city. The station was damaged during nationwide anti-government protests that have resulted in at least 150 deaths. Critics online have accused Hasina of not showing the same level of sympathy toward the victims or their families. The protests were triggered by demands to eliminate quotas on government jobs.
PM Hasina's emotional reaction
During her visit to the damaged metro station, where ticket vending machines and the signaling control station were shattered, Hasina was seen wiping away tears. The Prime Minister was quoted by Bangladeshi daily The Business Standard as saying, "What kind of mentality leads them to destroy facilities that make people's lives easier? Dhaka city was clogged with traffic. The metro rail offered respite. I cannot accept the destruction of this transport facility made with modern technology."
Internet users criticize Hasina
Hasina's comments and emotional reaction have drawn criticism from Bangladeshi internet users. One Twitter user stated, "We lost [hundreds of] students. But PM Sheikh Hasina had the time to go 'cry' for a metro rail, not for the people who won't return ever again." Another user accused her of "shedding crocodile tears for a railway track while others [have died]."
Hasina blames political opponents for violence amid protests
Despite accusations of security forces using excessive force, Hasina blamed her political opponents for the wave of violence. She stated that her government is working to "suppress these militants and create a better environment," adding that she was "forced" to impose a curfew for public safety. As protests began to taper off, the government started easing the curfew imposed last week.
Supreme Court overrules quota, protests continue
The Supreme Court scaled down reservations for various categories to 7%, overruling a high court verdict reinstating a 56% quota in government jobs that had been scrapped in 2018. The government said it would heed the Supreme Court ruling. However, protesting students have given the government a fresh 48-hour ultimatum to fulfill four other conditions of an eight-point list of demands, including restoration of internet, withdrawal of police from campuses, and opening universities.
