The group called on Bangladeshis to observe a nationwide shutdown on Thursday, by keeping shops closed and staying at home ahead of fresh protests planned for later in the day.
The call was widely observed in the capital Dhaka, with barely any vehicles seen on the city’s usually traffic-choked roads.
Dhaka residents reported widespread mobile internet outages on Thursday, two days after internet providers cut off access to Facebook – the protest campaign’s key organising tool.
Police on Thursday announced the death of a seventh protester the previous evening, conceding that police weaponry had killed the 18-year-old.
“He was hit by rubber bullets,” police inspector Bacchu Mia told AFP. “He was brought to the hospital but died before he was admitted.”
HUNDREDS INJURED
More than 500 others were injured in clashes around the country on Wednesday, while six people were killed on Tuesday.
Hasina’s speech did not assign responsibility for the deaths, but descriptions from hospital authorities and students given to AFP earlier suggest at least some of the victims died when police used supposedly non-lethal weapons on demonstrations.
Rights group Amnesty International said video evidence from clashes this week showed that Bangladeshi security forces had used unlawful force.
