NEW DELHI, August 5. /TASS/. Protesters in Bangladesh have stormed into the building of the country's parliament in Dhaka, as follows from video footage circulating on Bangladeshi social media.

According to the footage, dozens of people took the parliamentarians’ seats with their feet on the tables. Many stood on the tables smoking. Others were making videos on their mobile phones.

Some videos also show puffs of smoke inside the conference hall and papers scattered on the floor.

According to local media, thousands of people have taken to the streets in Bangladesh in recent hours. Arson and vandalism have been reported. Protesters have trashed the prime minister's residence, demolished a smashed statue of the country's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and set fire to his museum, as well as stormed the office of the ruling Awami League party. They also attacked the homes of ruling party representatives, police stations and the offices of leading TV channels. Dhaka International Airport is closed until further notice.

Students took to the streets in various cities of Bangladesh in early July, demanding the abolition of job quotas for relatives of participants in the 1971 war of independence. The situation in the republic has escalated, with demonstrations growing into riots. Anti-government protests flared up again in the capital city of Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities on August 4. According to The Daily Star newspaper, at least 10,000 people have been arrested since the outbreak of riots.

At least 300 people have died in the protests, AFP said earlier, citing local police and medics. Meanwhile, the India Today television channel cited unofficial sources as saying that the number of victims may range from 1,000 to 1,400.