AUTHORITIES in Bangladesh urged all universities to close today, the day after at least six people died during protests over the allocation of government jobs and police raided the headquarters of the main opposition party.

Dhaka University, at the centre of the violence, decided to suspend classes and close its dormitories indefinitely, a university official told reporters.

The University Grants Commission asked all public and private universities to close until further notice, in order to protect students, but the request did not have legal force and it was not immediately clear how many universities would comply.