UAE jails 57 Bangladeshis for protesting against Sheikh Hasina govt

A UAE court has jailed 57 Bangladeshi citizens to lengthy prison terms for protesting against the Sheikh Hasina government over the controversial quota decision.
The Bangladeshi citizens were jailed as unauthorised protests are banned in the Gulf country.
Commenting on the case, Amnesty International's UAE researcher Devin Kenney said it was "the second mass trial in the UAE this month, with dozens of people sentenced to huge prison terms literally overnight, on charges involving no element of violence".
In a statement to news agency AFP, Kenney said the UAE's "extreme reaction to the mere existence of a public protest on Emirati soil shows that the state places great priority on suppressing any manifestation of dissent in the country."
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi student leader on Monday called for a 48-hour halt to the protest against the quota decision, which embroiled the nation in deadly clashes resulting in the death of over 100 people.
"We are suspending the shutdown protests for 48 hours," Nahid Islam, the top leader of the main protest organiser Students Against Discrimination, told news agency AFP. Nahid Islam demanded the government to "withdraw the curfew, restore the internet and stop targeting the student protesters" in the halt period.
In what could be deciphered as a sign of ease, the halt comes a day after the Bangladesh Supreme Court scaled down the controversial quota decision of the Sheikh Hasina government that facilitated 30 per cent reservation in government jobs to descendants of 1971 war heroes, who fought for the Independent against Pakistani regime.
As the situation appears to head towards normalcy, the Bangladesh police have arrested more than 500 people, including some opposition leaders, over days of clashes in the capital Dhaka.
"At least 532 people have been arrested over the violence," Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain.
"They include some BNP leaders," he added, referring to the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
Factories, banks reopen as curfew is eased after protests taper off
After days of deadly violence, normalcy returned to Bangladesh on Wednesday as factories, offices, and banks reopened following the easing of a nationwide curfew enforced by the army. The capital city, Dhaka, saw the return of rush-hour traffic, and broadband internet services were largely restored. However, social media platforms remained suspended in the wake of student-led protests that turned violent last week.
Despite the easing of restrictions, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, a junior technology minister, informed reporters that "For now, all social media will remain shut," indicating that the government is still cautious about the potential for further unrest.