Last month, in Bangladesh a large number of students protested on the streets. Initially, the protests were peaceful, but now the situation has taken a scary and violent turn.
A military curfew has now been declared in Bangladesh. “Troops on the streets,a strict curfew, a near blackout of communication.”
Schools and colleges across the country have been shut down, and the Government of Bangladesh, has suspended mobile internet services.
In the Violent clashes at least 150 people have been killed and thousands injured.
The protesters are now calling Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a dictator.
What is the reason behind all this?
The reason behind these protests is Reservation. The youth of Bangladesh is protesting against the quota system of the government. According to the quota system, 56% of jobs in the public sector of Bangladesh, are reserved for different sections of society. This means that only 44% of jobs are available on the basis of merit. This system is quite different from India’s because majority reservation is not based on caste but on the freedom fighters.
To understand this better, we have to go into Bangladesh’s history:
Before independence, as you know, Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan. At that time, it was called East Pakistan. And today’s Pakistan was called West Pakistan. At that time, there was rampant social discrimination against East Pakistan. Majority of people spoke Bengali, and only less than 10% of them spoke Urdu. But still, West Pakistan imposed the Urdu language on East Pakistan. Apart from this, there was economic discrimination, 59% of the country’s exports came from East Pakistan but only 25% of the industrial investments went to East Pakistan.
November 1970, when Cyclone Bhola hit, an estimated 300,000 people died in East Pakistan, one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in the last century. But West Pakistan didn’t make much effort to provide relief to the people here.
Not only that, there was political discrimination as well. In the 1970 elections, East Pakistan had 162 seats and West Pakistan had 138 seats. People in West Pakistan voted for different political parties but in East Pakistan, the overwhelming majority of votes went to Awami League Party, which was being led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. As a result of this election the Awami League was supposed to govern both East and West Pakistan. But the military of West Pakistan did not want this at all. Back then, Pakistani military’s Commander-in-Chief, Yahya Khan refused to accept the election result. Martial law was imposed on East Pakistan and in response, Sheikh Mijibur Rahman began a civil disobedience movement in protest. “ Our struggle is for our Independence.”
At the same time West Pakistan’s military committed large-scale atrocities against the people of East Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and hundreds of thousands of people were killed. There was a Genocide in East Pakistan. About 10 million people had to take refuge in India. Approximately 50% of the population of East Pakistan Was internally displaced because of this. After this we saw the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971. This was the war where India helped Bangladesh get freedom under the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi.
The people who fought for freedom in East Pakistan, which made Bangladesh an independent country, were the freedom fighters. These freedom fighters are relevant in the current situation because of this Quota system. In Bangladesh’s quota system, 30% of jobs are reserved for the descendants of freedom fighters. Apart from this, there are some other reservations like 10% for women, 10% Zila quota for backward districts, 5% reservation for ethnic minorities, and 1% reservation for people with physical disabilities. If you up these numbers, it becomes a total of 56% reservation. But the majority share of this 56% is the 30% quota for freedom fighters.
In this Article, A 3rd year student of 3rd studying International Relations at Dhaka University, Fahim Farooqui, who is also a protester, claims that this protest is basically for the reformation of the quota system. Protesters demand that other than the reservation for ethnic minorities and physical disabilities, the government should remove all other reservations.
This reservation for freedom fighters is a very interesting one because it began in 1972, just a year after independence. The Ministry of Cabinet Services issued an order that year to create a quota for freedom fighters. Those who risked their lives, those who fought for their country’s independence, 30% jobs should be reserved for them.(Note: It’s applicable for Freedom Fighter only.) Later, in 1997 this quota was extended to the children of freedom fighters, and in 2010, it was said that this quota should be extended to the grandchildren of freedom fighters too.
In February 2018, the Bangladesh’s General Student’s Rights Conservation Council, demanded reforms in Bangladesh Government Services.Even then, there were clashes between the students who were against it and those who were pro-quota. And under this pressure, in October 2018, Bangladesh’s Government issued a circular that the quota system will be removed for first and second-class jobs.
But in 2021, 7 students from Freedom Fighter’s families filed a petition in the High Court against the removal of this quota system.
On 5th June, 2024 that is last month, the high Court decided that the petitioner arguments were valid.
The government circular was declared illegal and the quota system was reintroduced.
This was the reason why protests rekindled all over the country.
FAQ on Bangladesh Protests and Quota System
What triggered the current protests in Bangladesh?
The current protests were triggered by the reintroduction of the quota system in public sector jobs, which reserves 56% of the jobs for different sections of society, with 30% reserved for descendants of freedom fighters.
Why are the protesters calling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a dictator?
Protesters are calling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a dictator due to the government’s harsh response to the protests, including declaring a military curfew, shutting down schools and colleges, and suspending mobile internet services.
What is the history behind the quota system in Bangladesh?
The quota system began in 1972, reserving 30% of jobs for freedom fighters. Over the years, this was extended to include their children and grandchildren. Other reservations include 10% for women, 10% for backward districts, 5% for ethnic minorities, and 1% for people with physical disabilities.
What was the High Court’s role in the recent developments?
On June 5, 2024, the High Court declared a government circular that removed the quota system for first and second-class jobs illegal, reintroducing the quota system and sparking the current wave of protests.
What were the main demands of the protesters?
Protesters demand the removal of all reservations except those for ethnic minorities and people with physical disabilities, arguing that the current system is unfair and restricts job opportunities based on merit.
How did the situation escalate into violence?
Initially peaceful, the protests escalated into violence due to the government’s stringent measures, including the military curfew, shutting down educational institutions, and disconnecting mobile internet services, which fueled public anger and frustration.
What is the historical context of discrimination in Bangladesh?
Before independence, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) faced economic, social, and political discrimination from West Pakistan. This included language imposition, inadequate relief efforts during Cyclone Bhola, and refusal to accept the election results leading to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.
What are the consequences of the violent clashes?
At least 150 people have been killed, and thousands injured in the violent clashes between protesters and government forces.
What is the significance of the 1971 Liberation War in the current quota system?
The quota system heavily favors descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 Liberation War, as a way to honor those who fought for Bangladesh’s independence. This historical context is a significant factor in the current protests.
How has the government responded to the protests?
The government has declared a military curfew, shut down schools and colleges, suspended mobile internet services, and deployed troops on the streets to control the situation.
What are the possible outcomes of these protests?
The outcome is uncertain, but it could lead to potential reforms in the quota system, continued unrest, or further government crackdowns depending on how the situation evolves and how both the government and protesters negotiate and address the issues.
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