Bangladesh recently witnessed violent protests after students on Tuesday, July 16, when students from distinct universities in the nation demonstrated civil service hiring rules and demanded reforms in the quota system in the nation’s government jobs in all major cities. The protests led to many students getting injured while they raised their voices against the current quota system in the country.
Government Announced Cancellation Of Classes In Public, Private Campuses
Following the violent protests by the enraged students, the Bangladesh government announced the cancellation of all classes in the public and private campuses and schools across the country. The government also planned to shut down medical, textile, engineering, and other colleges affiliated with the respective universities until further notice from the officials. During protests on Tuesday, July 17, six people were killed as a result of rival students attacking each other with hurled bricks and bamboo rods. The police later also dispersed tear gas to disperse the crowd and used rubber bullets.
Reservation For Family Members Of War Veterans
Tuesday, July 17 marked the most violent day of the ongoing student protest in Bangladesh which first started on July 1. The protests occurred days after the Bangladesh High Court took the decision to reinstate a 30 percent government job quota for those who are the descendants of individuals who fought in the 1971 war of independence in Bangladesh. The quota announcements seemed unfair to the thousands of students in the country as they felt that they would be deprived of opportunities if 30 percent of all seats were reserved for the family members of war veterans. The disadvantage was felt by the students as significant reservations were already in reserve for women, ethnic minorities, and disabled persons. Therefore, students and demonstrators on protests are demanding that the Bangladesh government scrap the recent reservations and maintain a merit-based system as they sit unfairly for the rest of the student population in the country, where unemployment and job scarcity are already on the rise.
Concerns Regarding Accuracy Of War Veterans’ List
Concerns are also highlighted regarding the accuracy of the lists of actual war veterans, with claims of its discriminatory nature. Critiques also suggested that this quota system advantaged the supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League Party which led the independence movement in the country. The reservation policy was once abolished in the year 2018 by Sheikh Hasina after several protests and condemnation. However, the High Court’s order on June 5 called the abolition of the policy illegal leading to anger amongst the youth of the country.