Why Are Students Protesting in Bangladesh?

Dhaka: Tensions continue to escalate in Bangladesh after relentless violent clashes between student protesters, security officials, and pro-government student activists over a quota system for government jobs. Nearly 100 people have been killed as of Thursday in the latest violence.

Things took an ugly turn after the protesters set free to state TV broadcasters.

Meanwhile, protest organisers said that they are imposing a "complete shutdown" across the country except for essential services. This comes as several major universities in the country agreed to shut down until tensions ease.

What is Happening?

Tension in the South Asian country escalated on Monday this week, after student activists at Dhaka University, the country’s largest educational institute, clashed with police and counter-protesters backed by the ruling Awami League, injuring at least 100 people.

The country continued to roil under protest. The protests were triggered after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 move by Hasina's government to abolish the system, which reserved 30 per cent of jobs for families of freedom fighters from the 1971 independence war.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court later suspended the High Court order and scheduled a hearing for August 7. However, despite this, students escalated their protests after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina labelled them "razakar," a term for those who collaborated with Pakistan during the 1971 war.

The protesters want to abolish this system, saying that it is discriminatory and provides benefits to supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party, which led the independence movement.

They want it replaced with a system that’s based on merit. Even though job opportunities have grown in some parts of the private sector in the country, each year, some 4,00,000 graduates compete for a mere 3,000 government jobs in civil services.

What Did the Government Say?

Following this incident, Hasina defended the quota saying that the veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war regardless of their political affiliations.

Her party further accused the opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party, of fueling chaos. The BNP backed the students’ calls for shutdown on Thursday.

Earlier in a televised address on Wednesday, Hasina said, "I am requesting all to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered."

She added, "I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed."

What's Next?

The ongoing uproar in the country highlighted cracks in Bangladesh's government and the country's economy following the coronavirus pandemic and upheaval of wars in Ukraine and Gaza and also reflected a lack of good quality jobs available for youngsters.

On Thursday, Bangladesh’s Law Minister Anisul Huq said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked him to sit with the protesters for a dialogue, and he was ready to sit down on Thursday if the protesters were willing.

(Inputs from AP)