Bangladesh Student Protests: Nationwide Shutdowns, Violence, and Demands for Reform: Video
Student protesters in Bangladesh have called for a nationwide shutdown of transportation and businesses to pressure Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to abolish the government’s job quota system.
Student protesters in Bangladesh have called for a nationwide shutdown of transportation and businesses to pressure Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to abolish the government’s job quota system. This move follows a week of escalating demonstrations, which turned violent and left the nation grappling with unrest.
University Closures Amid Protests
The Bangladeshi government has announced an indefinite closure of all public and private universities following widespread protests against the controversial quota system in government jobs. The protests have resulted in at least six fatalities and over 400 injuries.
The First Major Challenge to Hasina’s Fourth Term
This wave of demonstrations marks the first significant challenge to Prime Minister Hasina’s administration since she commenced her fourth consecutive term in January, following an election boycotted by the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Understanding the Job Quota System in Bangladesh
Government jobs in Bangladesh are highly coveted due to their stability and lucrative nature. Each year, nearly 400,000 graduates vie for approximately 3,000 positions.
What is the Quota System for Government Jobs in Bangladesh?
Until 2018, 56 percent of these jobs were reserved for specific categories: 30 percent for the descendants of 1971 Liberation War veterans, 10 percent each for women and people from underdeveloped districts, 5 percent for tribal communities, and 1 percent for persons with disabilities. This left only 44 percent of government job openings available for general applicants.
In April 2018, a four-month-long protest led by students and teachers demanded the abolition of these quotas and a reduction of overall reservation to 10 percent.
Abolition and Reinstatement of Quotas
The protests turned violent, with clashes involving the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, and police. Following significant national and international pressure, Prime Minister Hasina announced the removal of all quotas.
What is Bangladesh’s Freedom Fighter Quota?
The freedom fighter’s quota was first introduced following Bangladesh’s independence. In 1977, the government extended this quota to include children of freedom fighters and in 2010, to include the grandchildren of freedom fighters.
Despite quotas being largely removed in 2018, last month, the High Court reinstated the quotas for veterans’ families, sparking fresh protests.
Recent Developments and Protests
The June 5, 2024, ruling by the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court overturned the 2018 order that had repealed all reservations, particularly the contentious 30 percent freedom fighters’ quota. Many perceived this as an attempt to favor those loyal to Prime Minister Hasina’s Awami League. Frustrations were further fueled by special examinations for quota candidates, varying age limits, and numerous vacancies in quota seats, despite qualified candidates remaining unemployed.
Protesters’ Demands
Students from Dhaka University spearheaded the protests, demanding recruitment in government jobs based on merit and reforms to the existing quota system. They are demanding the removal of discriminatory quotas across all job grades, limiting overall reservation to 5 percent for backward populations as identified in the constitution, and passing a bill in parliament to secure these changes.
Essentially, this would eliminate the quota benefiting the families of freedom fighters while retaining provisions for the physically disabled and tribal people.
Violence Erupts
The unrest began on June 5, 2024, when the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court overturned a 2018 order canceling the job quota. Initial resistance began in Dhaka in June but escalated after Eid-ul-Adha festivities ended on June 17. By July 7, a country-wide Bangla Bandh had come into effect, even as the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the order for a month.
Prime Minister’s Controversial Remarks
On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina referred to the protesters as ‘razakars’, a derogatory term for traitors aligned with Pakistani forces during the liberation war, which further fueled the students’ frustration.
Clashes and Government Response
On Monday, clashes between anti-quota protesters, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), and police erupted at various universities. The violence resulted in at least six deaths, including three students, prompting the indefinite closure of all educational institutions.
The scheduled higher secondary certificate exam was also canceled. Authorities deployed the Border Guard at various locations to manage the situation. Reports emerged that unidentified individuals set fire to two buses and exploded dozens of Molotov cocktails, leading to sporadic clashes, roadblocks, and leaving thousands stranded.
Government’s Response
On Tuesday, in response to escalating violence, the government ordered the closure of all high schools, colleges, madrasahs (Islamic seminaries), and polytechnic institutes under the Department of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education until further notice, citing student safety.
Prime Minister Hasina further defended the quotas, emphasizing the sacrifices made by war veterans in 1971 and the toll it took on their respective families. As of Thursday, Bangladesh has also suspended mobile internet services.
Allegations of Disruption by Ruling Party
Protesters alleged that they were staging peaceful demonstrations when attacked by ruling party activists armed with sticks, rocks, machetes, and Molotov cocktails. Protesters accused the ruling party’s student wing of attacking their peaceful demonstrations with police support.
Demonstrations spread to major cities including Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Chattogram, where protesters blockaded highways and railway routes. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets as university students clashed with counter-protesters armed with sticks and brickbats. The capital’s traffic was brought to a standstill, with rival student groups throwing bricks at each other.
International Response
Amnesty International has urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety of all peaceful protesters. The US State Department also condemned the violence against demonstrators, prompting a response from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.
India’s High Commission in Dhaka issued an advisory for Indians residing in Bangladesh, urging them to avoid travel and minimize movement outside their premises due to the violent clashes. The advisory included helpline numbers for various locations across Bangladesh, available via phone or WhatsApp.
As the nation watches closely, the outcome of these protests and the government’s response remain uncertain, with significant implications for the country’s political and social landscape.
