At least 100 students got injured as protests over the quota system for government jobs turned violent, with student groups clashing and police firing tear gas and charging with batons.
Incident Overview
Students from universities nationwide are protesting against the quota system of reservations for the descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 War of Independence.
Violence ensued on Monday; sticks and iron rods were reportedly wielded as weapons, and rocks were thrown, resulting in injuries on multiple university grounds, according to eyewitnesses and police. Reportedly, clashes happened between those protesting and those loyal to the ruling body.
The Bangladesh Chhatra League, a student wing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, has been accused by the demonstrators of attacking their “peaceful protests.”
This is the first major demonstration since the Prime Minister was elected for the fourth time in the January election, which was boycotted by the main opposition party and its allies.
Why Are Students Protesting the Quota System?
The protests began earlier this month following a High Court order asking the government to restore the 30% job quota for descendants of veterans who fought in the 1971 War of Independence. Protesters argue that such a quota is discriminatory and demand the introduction of merit-based scheme instead.
The top court suspended the order for a month last week, but the protests have persisted.
Hasina’s party, the Awami League, favours the quota for the descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 War, under the leadership of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the war with the help of India.
These demonstrations further intensified on Sunday when Hasina refused to listen to the students’ demands, saying that the issue was now in the hands of the top court. She said that those who oppose the job quota for relatives of freedom fighters are “Razakar,” a term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 war, prompting the protests even more.
Stagnant job growth in Bangladesh’s private sector has made government jobs that offer regular wage hikes and other privileges more attractive, said Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development, as reported by Reuters.
More than half of government jobs in Bangladesh have reservations for various quotas, with a 10% reservation for women, 10% for people from underdeveloped districts, 5% for indigenous communities, and 1% for people with disabilities.
Nahid Islam, the coordinator of the anti-quota protests, called the demonstrations “more than just a student movement.” The highest levels of government have been incited to suppress them, so even common people have come to the streets, he stated. Protesters have planned for more marches and rallies throughout the nation, and they will continue until their demands are met, according to Islam.
