Bangladesh Anti-Quota Protests: A Deadly Protest in Bangladesh Killed 115 People.
Soldiers are out in force in cities around Bangladesh after another day of lethal clashes between student protesters and police, which has killed at least 115 people so far. It has also prompted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to cancel foreign visits. Hasina had to leave for diplomatic visits to Spain and Brazil. The protests had started on July 1. They spiked after the 5th and escalated sharply after July 15.
The Core Issue: Reservation System.
What is the basic reason for the protests and why did it blow up? At the heart of the problem is a reservation system. The contentious issue at hand is who is eligible to highly sought-after government posts. More over half of those positions are reserved for certain groups under an outdated quota system that the Supreme Court just revived. The students say that the system is unfair and that most of the positions should be filled based on merit and not quota.
Historical Background of the Quota System.
The quota system was introduced in 1972 by Hasina’s father, independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led his country’s fight for independence from Pakistan in 1971.In that war, thousands of combatants and protestors lost their lives. The state would provide for the offspring of individuals regarded as freedom warriors, thanks to the quota system. But what instigated the protests was a statement from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 14th. The statement appeared to equate the protesters with the descendants of Razakars. Razakars are mercenary collaborators of the Pakistan military who led a brutal campaign of murder and rape in which up to 3 million Bangladeshis are estimated to have been murdered in 1971 within a few months of one other.
Political Context and Recent Developments.
After the Amami League lost power in 2001, the process of implementation of the quota slowed down. But Hasina returned as Prime Minister in 2009 and it was returned. The withdrawal of the quota in 2018 was challenged in court again. In its July 5th order, the high court ruled that the government’s decision was arbitrary and that the freedom fighters and their progeny remained one of the most backward sections of the country’s citizens and hence deserve the quota.
Table of Key Events.
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| July 1 | Protests begin in Bangladesh. |
| July 5 | Supreme Court reinstates the old quota system. |
| July 14 | Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina equates protesters with Razakars, leading to increased unrest. |
| July 15 | Protests escalate sharply, resulting in deadly clashes between students and police. |
| Ongoing | Soldiers deployed in cities, Prime Minister cancels foreign visits, protests continue with significant casualties. |
Trigger Warning ⚠️
At least five people have died and many more injured in Bangladesh as protests against job quotas in the government sector turned violent.#Bangladesh #Job #Qouta #Government #ViralVideo #AwazEnglish pic.twitter.com/0RFqwo2fWi
— Awaz English (@AwazEnglish) July 18, 2024