Why Are Students Protesting in Bangladesh? Violence has erupted in Bangladesh, claiming at least six lives and injuring hundreds. The cause? Students have taken to the streets, demanding reforms to a quota system that governs the distribution of government jobs.
Bangladesh Students Protests
Last month, demonstrations erupted after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs. This decision overturned a 2018 move by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to scrap the system.
Bangladesh Quota System Explained:
Introduced in 1972, Bangladesh’s quota system has undergone several changes. When it was abolished in 2018, 56% of government jobs were blocked under various quotas. These included allocations for freedom fighters’ families, women, underdeveloped districts, indigenous communities, and the disabled.
Bangladesh Students Demands:
The protesting students want all categories abolished, except the last two. They argue that the system is discriminatory and hinders merit-based recruitment.
Clashes between anti-quota demonstrators and members of the student wing of Hasina’s Awami League party turned violent this week. Rubber bullets, sound grenades, and tear gas were used to disperse protesters who also blocked railway tracks and major roads.
Experts attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector. Public sector jobs, with regular wage hikes and privileges, remain attractive. The quotas limit opportunities for all aspirants based on merit.
Youth Unemployment in Bangladesh:
Nearly 32 million young people in Bangladesh are out of work or education. The economy, once a global growth leader, has stagnated, and inflation remains high.
Sheikh Hasina’s Response on Bangladesh Students Protest:
Prime Minister Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, faces the first challenge to her government since winning a fourth consecutive term. She has called for patience until the Supreme Court delivers its verdict.
