More than 100 Bangladesh students were injured on Monday in clashes between anti-quota protesters and ruling party loyalists. The protests are the first significant demonstrations against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since her fourth straight term win in January’s election, which the main opposition boycotted.

Thousands of anti-quota protesters and Awami League’s student wing members fought with rocks, sticks, and iron rods at universities across Bangladesh, including Dhaka. Police and witnesses reported injuries on several campuses. The protesters called for continued marches and rallies to press their demands.

Nahid Islam, coordinator of the anti-quota protests, emphasized the movement’s significance, urging common people to join. The protests started after the High Court ordered the government to restore 30% job quotas for freedom fighters’ descendants. Despite the top court suspending the order for a month, protests continued.

On Sunday night, protests intensified after Hasina refused to meet the Bangladesh student demands, stating the issue was now before the court. Hasina labeled quota opponents as ‘Razakar’, collaborators with the Pakistani army during the 1971 War of Independence. Her comments led thousands of students to protest at midnight on the Dhaka University campus.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud warned against transforming the anti-quota movement into an anti-state one, stressing the government’s commitment to maintaining stability.