The atmosphere in Bangladesh has become concerning following the violence escalations as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina deployed the police and paramilitary forces against the students who were protesting peacefully, which has led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries according to reports.
The Diplomat
In July 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a significant wave of student protests centred around the reintroduction of a controversial quota system for government jobs. This quota system, initially abolished in 2018 following earlier protests, reserves over half of public sector jobs for specific groups, including descendants of freedom fighters from Bangladesh's 1971 independence war. The High Court's decision to restore this quota system prompted widespread unrest among students, who argue that these quotas unfairly benefit certain groups aligned with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party and undermine merit-based recruitment.
Although political corruption is widely believed to be deeply entrenched in the city, the recent elections, which saw Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secure her fifth consecutive term, have been heavily criticised. Allegations include the use of threats, imprisonment, and the disqualification of opponents, alongside other serious accusations. These factors have led many to question the true extent of political freedom in Bangladesh. And now, the Prime Minister is yet again under fire for her brutal measures as she took unnecessary steps to tear down the peaceful student protests instead of listening to her constituents and their concerns.
The protests, which began at the start of July, saw thousands of students from major universities across Bangladesh take to the streets. Demonstrations were particularly intense at Dhaka University, where students staged unique forms of protest such as turning on cell phone flashlights and banging utensils at midnight. Similar scenes were reported in other cities, including Chittagong, Rajshahi, Barishal, Cumilla, and Sylhet.
Student protests, which have become largely popular across the globe from raising the voice for Palestinians to voicing out against corruption in Bangladesh notably have one thing in common. Although a majority of these student protests start out peaceful, with students demanding political reform for the betterment of the country, in the end, the Government almost always takes brutal measures to silence the students - leading to deadly and unwarranted outcomes. The atmosphere in Bangladesh has become concerning following the violence escalations as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina deployed the police and paramilitary forces against the students who were protesting peacefully, which has led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries according to reports.
I am deeply concerned by this week’s violence in Bangladesh, resulting in reports of dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. The attacks on student protesters are particularly shocking and unacceptable.
In addition to the brutal killing and injury of hundreds of its own citizens, the Bangladeshi Government has doubled down its efforts to silence the student protests which continues to gain allies by the day. So far, the Government’s response includes imposing curfews, deploying military personnel, banning public gatherings as well as cutting off the internet in an attempt to shut out the world from the brutality taking place as the Government tries to silence its citizens. Despite Prime Minister Hasina's assurances that the government would not interfere with peaceful protests, incidents of police using tear gas and other forceful measures were reported.
Students united under banners such as the Students Movement Against Discrimination, called for a reform of the quota system, demanding that most public sector jobs be allocated based on merit rather than quotas. They also sought a law to be enacted in parliament to address their demands. The protests represent a significant challenge to Hasina's administration, marking the first major demonstrations during her current term, which began in January 2024 after elections boycotted by the opposition.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/article/bangladesh-student-protests.html
