麻豆社

It began as a peaceful student protest against the way some government jobs are reserved for war veterans and their families. The violence that followed is some of the worst the country has witnessed in recent years. More than 200 people are reported dead, with most blamed on police gunfire.

Host James Reynolds speaks with those in Bangladesh and hears stories of what they have witnessed; their fears for their safety and that of friends and family. They describe being afraid to leave their homes and being unable to sleep and eat. We also bring together Bangladeshis living abroad and hear about the difficulty of being thousands of miles from loved ones.

Anika, who is living in the UK, learnt from a relative in the United States that her uncle in Bangladesh had been shot and killed while on his way to the mosque to pray.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 do anything,鈥� said Anika. "I couldn鈥檛 attend the funeral. I just kept asking myself how can I help his family. They don鈥檛 really need money but they just need mental support and I can鈥檛 even call them. There鈥檚 no way to call them. I鈥檓 sad here too.鈥�

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the 麻豆社 OS team.

(Photo: Anti-quota protesters call for nationwide 'March for Justice' in Bangladesh, Dhaka - 31 Jul 2024. Credit: MONIRUL ALAM/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)