AUSTIN, Texas — College students from across the state peacefully protested at the Texas State Capitol on Saturday evening, bringing awareness to the civil unrest happening in Bangladesh.
Students held a silent protest and marched around the Capitol in solidarity with Bangladeshi students who are protesting a new quota system on government jobs and want it reformed.
International demonstrations started on Wednesday and quickly became violent. One local protester told KVUE she hasn't heard from her family in days because internet and phone services have been turned off.
"We don’t know what happened but we just heard that hundreds of people were killed, innocent students, students who are not even 18," Farzana Tasnim said. "For the last 72 hours, we don't know what is happening because there is no internet connection. There is no phone connection. I mean, we haven't talked to our families in three days."
Texas students want the quota system to provide more opportunity for the average worker in Bangladesh.
On Saturday, the U.S. State Department raised Bangladesh's travel advisory to Level 3, which urges people to reconsider travel to that area.
Authorities in Bangladesh are imposing a curfew with a "shoot-on-sight order" if people are caught out.
Saturday’s protest included students from the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M University, the University of North Texas, Baylor University, Texas State University, the University of Houston, Texas A&M University Prairie View and St. Edward’s University.