The National Committee on Security Affairs will meet on Sunday amid ongoing student protests seeking justice for over 200 killed and thousands injured in the recent quota reform movement, officials said.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting that is expected to find a strategy to contain social media contents that, according to the government, have contributed to the present unstable situation.
The policymakers of the current government blamed social media networks for spreading rumours at home and abroad during the violent student protests.
The series of clashes in the capital and other areas of the country between July 16 and July 22 and their aftermath left at least 214 people, including children, mostly hit by bullets.
The United Nations, the European Union, the United States, China, and India claim to be closely following聽 the developing situation in Bangladesh, among others.
The UN expressed concerns about the use of lethal weapons by law-enforcing agencies during the crackdown on students and unarmed civilians.
The government imposed a curfew across the country for an indefinite period past midnight on July 19 and called in the army to tackle the situation.聽
Popular social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube were beyond access for days because of the internet blackout.
The government gradually restored broadband and mobile internet service this week and lifted restrictions on social media applications on Wednesday.
Referring to the agenda of the meeting, the officials said the meeting would review arson attacks and vandalism during the student-led quota reform protests.
The state-owned news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, reported that at least 30 major establishments, including Bangladesh Television, two metro rail stations, toll plazas of the elevated expressway and Setu Bhaban, along with the vehicles of police, were torched and severely damaged by protesters.聽聽
The metro rail service has been suspended since July 18.聽
All members of the 27-member committee, featuring ministers for home affairs, information, law, finance, foreign affairs, planning, industries, commerce, cabinet secretary, principal secretary to the Prime Minister鈥簊 Office, and chiefs of the Army, Air Force, and Navy, among others, have been asked to attend the meeting.
The National Committee on Security Affairs is the highest policy-making authority on national security.
Formed in March 2019 after the National Defence Policy 2018 was approved, the committee is responsible for reviewing problems related to national security.聽
This will be the first meeting of the National Committee on Security Affairs since November 15, 2023, one-and-a-half months before the January 7 general election.
The meeting is expected to begin at 11:00am at Ganabhaban.