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Bangladesh's Historic Student Protests

"I still have blood clots on both shoulders and left leg" said Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement to BBC, who, following his abduction by detectives in a private car and subsequent handcuffing, was interrogated and later subjected to torture. 


On July 14th, a peaceful protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, escalated into a revolt, with over 140 dead according to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, with the count being over 250 according to the protesters, stated by Al Jazeera, as many students protested against a 51-year-old quota system. 


On July 14th, a peaceful protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, escalated into a revolt, with over 140 dead according to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, with the count being over 250 according to the protesters, stated by Al Jazeera, as many students protested against a 51-year-old quota system. 

Following the 1971 Liberation War for freedom between Bangladesh and Pakistan, the quota system was introduced by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as a recognition of the country’s freedom fighters. This system, reports Dhaka Tribune, had been reformed and modified various times, but never permanently abolished. It was designed to reserve 56% of government jobs for descendants of the freedom fighters.


A small portion is also reserved for women and minorities from certain districts, along with people with disabilities. Students who were facing job difficulties after university united to abolish this quota system, which was reinstated after petitions from veterans' relatives.


Each year, 4,000 government positions open, with 300,000 citizens competing in the civil service examinations. Over half of these jobs are reserved, leading students to express dissent over its unfairness. 


Saad Hammadi, a policy manager at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, noted that guaranteed government jobs led to a "political class" and a wealthy elite. This, combined with increasing living costs and restrictions on free expression, has contributed to the current escalations in Bangladesh.


During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's July 14th press conference, she was asked about the protests, to which she replied with, "If the grandchildren of freedom fighters do not receive [quota] benefits, who would get it? The grandchildren of Razakars?", Hindustan Times reported. This statement troubled protestors, as "Razakar'' is a pejorative term for those who sided with Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War. 


That night, students gathered at Dhaka University, chanting "Who are you? I am Razakar," echoing war-era slogans. They also chanted, "We demanded rights, but we got called 'razakar'," according to The New York Times. 


The unrest has also raised international concerns. Thousands of protestors gathered at Times Square in New York City and at the Texas Capitol to raise awareness about the situation in the South Asian country. 


The students gathered in a silent protest, marching around the Capitol. KVUE ABC reports that students from University of Texas Austin, Dallas, Arlington, San Antonio, the University of North Texas and many others joined this protest. In fact, on 20th July 2024, Bangladesh's travel advisory was raised to Level 4; urging people not to travel to Bangladesh by the U.S State Department. 

 

A Windsor student, Shabab Chowdhury told Windsor CTV news that the government cut internet access, preventing him from contacting his family. He mentioned that no social media posts are visible from Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi government further declared a nationwide curfew and called in paramilitary troops to quell dissent. Nikkei Asia reports that the troops were ordered a "shoot-on-sight" order against the protesters. 


Authorities in Bangladesh had restored the unlawful use of lethal and less-lethal weapons. Security forces such as the Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, and the police have used shotguns, grenade launchers, assault rifles, and tear gas against protesters, as verified by Amnesty International. 


It is also reported that the authorities were involved in arbitrary arrests of the students, detentions of protestors, activists, journalists and members of the public. In a virtual conference on 28th July 2024, the coordinator of the movement alleged that over 3,500 students have been detained. 


In three of the videos, which Amnesty International verified, a particularly egregious incident was the death of Shykh Aashhabul Yamin, a student, whose unconscious body was seen on top of a Armored Personnel Centre car, with the officers yanking his body, dragging it and driving away, eventually leading to his death later that night. 


The government seemed unwilling to meet the students’ demands at first. The Prime Minister commented, citing the 14th July's revolt, "They did not witness the bodies lying in the streets, yet they feel no shame in calling themselves Razakars.”


Similarly, the Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury put a statement on Facebook, that by saying 'I am a Razakar’ the protestors have “demonstrated themselves to be the ‘true’ Razakars of this era, they disregard both the court and the government." Despite the initial reluctance of the government, some of the students' demands were eventually met. 


Under the Supreme Court's order that was passed on the 21st of July, as reported by Al Mayadeen English, Bangladesh is to reserve only 5% of government jobs each year for descendants of veterans, 1% for ethnic minorities and 1% for people with disabilities. 


However, no quota for women or minorities from certain districts will be reserved from now onwards. According to Nikkei Asia, the curfews have begun to ease, as well as restoration of the internet service on 23rd July 2024. But, the country relies more on mobile services, which were restored on 28th July 2024 according to Al Jazeera. The social media suspension continues, however. 


On July 22nd, a Dhaka University student reiterated that students "will continue our protests until the government publishes the verdict in the gazette," reports Al Jazeera. The protestors are also calling to the Prime Minister and her cabinet to take responsibility and resign. 


These protests have showcased the “frustration many people feel about how economic growth has been uneven, and (that) there is huge inequality and corruption,” says Pierre Prakash, Director of the Asia Program at International Crisis Group. He added, speaking to The New York Times, “The quota protest is just the manifestation of a widespread malaise that’s not just about quotas but also economic and political issues.”


‘The Students Against Discrimination’ movement, as it has come to be known, highlights how the trajectory of the future can change, if those who feel their voices aren't heard decide to unite and speak up. This movement has highlighted the potential impact of unified advocacy in driving change and influencing policy.





Edited by Veda Rodewald and Asvika Prakash


Dhriti (she/her) is currently in Grade 11, living in Japan. She has a diverse interest in Global Politics and Entertainment. She has also recently come to enjoy Scientific news, and she is looking to explore her next work in that field.



 

 

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