Amid unrest in Bangladesh, the official websites of the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Central Bank and police appear to have been hacked by a group calling itself “THE R3SISTANC3”.
All three sites had identical messages: “Operation Huntdown, stop killing students”, and also wrote in red: “This is no longer a protest, it is now a war.”
“The peaceful protests of our brave students have been met with brutal violence and murder by the government and its political allies. This is no longer just a protest; it is a fight for justice, freedom, and our future,” the message reads.
The group further added, “We call on hackers, OSINT investigators, and journalists to urgently join our campaign. We need your skills, your knowledge, and your courage to take decisive action. The time for passive observation is over.”
Another message at the bottom of the website reads, “Brace yourself. The fight for justice has begun.” The website also has pictures of five men and two dogs, but no detailed information about them is given.
The unrest was sparked by students who have long been demanding an overhaul of the quota system, which originally reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for descendants of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence.
Critics argue the system favours allies of the ruling Awami League party, which led the liberation movement against Pakistan. More than 100 people have been killed in protests against controversial civil service recruitment rules.
Following the deaths of more than 100 people in protests sparked by controversial civil service recruitment rules, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court ruled to reduce the quota reserved for relatives of war veterans from 30 per cent to 5 per cent, while allowing 93 per cent to be allocated on the basis of merit and earmarking the remaining 2 per cent for ethnic minorities, transgender persons and the disabled, Al Jazeera reported, citing local reports.
The verdict on Sunday comes after weeks of protests, led mainly by students. As Al Jazeera reports, tensions reached a boiling point when clashes broke out between protesters and groups allegedly linked to the Awami League, resulting in police being accused of using excessive force against demonstrators.
Earlier, the government of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attempted to abolish the quota system in 2018. However, the High Court reinstated it last month, sparking public outrage and fresh protests.
Throughout the unrest, the government imposed strict measures, including curfews, deployment of military forces, and restrictions on communications, leaving Bangladesh isolated from the outside world.
There were reports that the police used tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the protesters, further fuelling public anger. Hasina defended the quota system and highlighted the contribution of veterans to the country’s independence, regardless of their political affiliation. However, her government’s attempts to portray the protesters as traitors further fuelled anger among the protesters.
The Bangladesh government’s decision to shut down phone and internet connections created an “information blackout”. The authorities’ harsh response fueled calls for broader political reforms beyond the quota issue, as well as calls for the government’s resignation.
Protesters stressed that the demonstrations were not just about job quotas, but also about the loss of life, destruction of property, and disruption of information flow. Political analysts saw the protests as a defining moment for Bangladesh, suggesting that the government faced a significant challenge to its legitimacy.
Despite the upheaval, opinions varied on potential outcomes, with some predicting the political survival of Hasina’s administration while others speculated on the protesters’ ability to maintain pressure for systemic change.
The court’s decision to ease the quota system was received with cautious optimism by some protesters, though its wider implications remain uncertain amid ongoing restrictions and tensions. In response to the growing crisis, Hasina’s government declared a public holiday and imposed restrictions on non-essential services to handle the situation, Al Jazeera reports.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
