Bangladeshis on P.E.I. hope for end to violent clashes in their home country

About three dozen people from Bangladesh living on Prince Edward Island rallied in front of Province House in Charlottetown on Thursday, in solidarity with ongoing protests in their home country.

Clashes between student protesters and police forces have killed an unknown number of people in Bangladesh at least 26 since Thursday, according to local media.

The students want an end to a quota system that gives 30 per cent of all government jobs to the descendants of war veterans who fought for the country's independence in 1971.

The group in Charlottetown held signs reading"Bangladesh is bleeding" and "Save students in Bangladesh,"and stood on Grafton Street in front of the war memorial chanting "we want justice" and "no more violence."

Bangladeshis living in P.E.I. share their fears and concerns over violent protests back home

2 months ago

Duration 2:27

As violent clashes in their home country continue, people from Bangladesh living in P.E.I. are worried about their loved ones. CBC's Alex MacIsaac talked to Mri Dul Hasan and Hasin Karim, who took part in a rally in Charlottetown in support of the protesters.

They say it is hard to hear the news when they are so far from home.

"It's making me feel very useless," said Mri Dul Hasan, an international student.

"Seeing, right beside my house, where my university would have been and all the students there just dying."

Internet, phone disruptions

Hasan has had trouble reaching family and friends, which made the situation more difficult.

"I was at work, thinking that I hope they're alive," he said.

Internet services and mobile data were widely disruptedThursday night in Bangladesh and remained down on Friday in the capital city of Dhaka.

"I personally wasn't able to speak with my mother for, like, eight hours," said Mirza Sakib, another Bangladeshi at Thursday's rally.

Sakib said he came to the rally to show solidarity with students in Bangladesh.

"We want justice. We don't really know what more we can ask for," he said.

Protesters want merit-based hiring

Protesters in Bangladesh argue the job quota is discriminatory and they want it replaced with a merit-based system.

Competition for government jobs there is high, said Hasin Karim, a UPEI student who was at the Charlottetown rally.

"It makes things very difficult," he said.

Government jobs are desirable in Bangladesh because they provide security and a good salary,Karimsaid.

He said he hasn't been sleeping well recently because of the news from home.

"It's really tough, to be honest with you."