There’s no quota, but why is Bangladesh seeing fierce anti-quota protests

Protests by students against a 30% jobs quota have spread to almost the whole of Bangladesh. Security personnel have swarmed campuses and six protesters have been killed. Protesters have taken over university campuses. Such is the intensity of the protests that the government has been forced to shut down schools and colleges. What is the quota against which the students, who have no political allegiance, are revolting?

Experts say the violence and deaths are unfortunate because the government is on the same page as the protesting students. They want this to be explained to the students immediately.

Bangladesh watchers also believe that the protests aren’t just about quotas, and the students are venting out their overall frustration. These protests, like most political issues in Bangladesh, have a 1971 link.

The Liberation Movement of 1971 was the watershed moment in Bangladesh’s history. Millions of people fought and Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan.

In 1972, under then Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh introduced a quota system, reserving 30% of the seats for children of freedom fighters. The quota system reserved jobs for others too, while 44% of the jobs remained merit-based.

WHAT IS THE 30% FREEDOM FIGHTERS’ QUOTA IN BANGLADESH

It is this 30% reservation in jobs that the students are protesting against. They are questioning why the third generation of freedom fighters should be given benefits, and demanding a total merit-based recruitment.

Interestingly, after the Supreme Court suspended the High Court’s order last week, Bangladesh has no quota currently.

All reservations in jobs, including the freedom fighters’ quota, were scrapped by the Sheikh Hasina government in 2018 after a large-scale agitation by students.

Since 2018, there was no quota until a group of petitioners went to the High Court in 2021 and fought a case to get back the 30% freedom fighters’ reservation in civil services.

After hearing the issue for three years, the high court reinstated the 30% quota on July 1. This triggered the recent protests.

The Attorney General approached the Supreme Court right after the High Court’s decision. A petition was filed on July 16.

The Supreme Court had last week suspended the High Court’s order for four weeks, according to reports. The Chief Justice asked protesting students to return to classes, saying the court would issue a decision in four weeks.

“I think the matter is not being handled correctly because, after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh’s status quo, there is no reservation or quota for government service in Bangladesh. The Supreme Court’s status quo made the High Court verdict ineffective (the verdict restored the reservation in government jobs),” veteran Bangladeshi journalist Swadesh Roy tells IndiaToday.In.

EXTENT OF PROTESTS IN BANGLADESH AND GOVT RESPONSE

Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling and assurances by the chief justice, the protests continued.

Clashes broke out Monday at Dhaka University, with more than 100 students injured, according to an Associated Press report. Overnight, violence spread to Jahangir Nagar University in Savar, outside Dhaka, and was reported elsewhere across Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Violent protests spread to the southeastern city of Chattogram and the northern city of Rangpur.

“The student protests are widespread, and are being reported from across all divisional cities,” says Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh expert and post Doctoral Researcher at University of Oslo, Norway.

“While the ruling Awami League and its student wing, Chhatra League, are actively trying to repress the movement, the opposition parties and their students wings are publicly siding with the protesting students,” Mubashar Hasan tells IndiaToday.In.

He says the opposition parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are trying to expand their popular base by aligning with the quota movement.

The protests, which have largely been peaceful for two weeks, turned violent after the ruling party’s Chhatra League and police came down heavily on the protestors, according to Bangladesh media reports.

“These rampant violations of human rights and rights to life and liberty have been a signature of the current regime. These made students angry, and they are ousting ruling party student leaders and activists from student dormitories,” says Mubashar Hasan.

After violent protests spread across cities, and six people were killed in clashes, the Bangladesh government on Wednesday ordered the shutting down of schools and colleges.

IS BANGLADESH PROTEST MORE THAN ANTI-QUOTA AGITATION?

Experts also see popular frustration being vented out in the anti-quota agitation in Bangladesh.

“There are artworks, memes, rap songs, and slogans circulating on social media calling Sheikh Hasina a dictator. It was unthinkable previously. But now those cultural works are being shared by thousands of people all on social media platforms,” Mubashar Hasan tells IndiaToday.In.

“Hasina’s government was thriving in disseminating fear in society. Now it seems that fear has gone away… It is evident that students are questioning her election engineering too,” says Hasan.

He is referring to Hasina’s fourth consecutive term as Prime Minister in January 2024, which critics blamed for poll rigging. The main opposition party, the BNP, boycotted the election.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR SHEIKH HASINA GOVERNMENT

Veteran journalist Swadesh Roy tells IndiaToday.In that time is of essence and the government needs to immediately explain to the protesting students that the government is with them on the quota issue.

“The government has filed an appeal petition with the Supreme Court, so the government is already against the High Court’s verdict. Therefore, the protesting youths and the government are in the same boat. At this point, the government should start a dialogue with the protesters,” says Roy. “In any country, when something starts to burn, the government should be the first to pour water and extinguish the fire. Therefore, the government should start a dialogue to avoid misunderstandings and giving space to miscreants,” he suggests.

Bangladesh watcher Mubashar Hasan says a compromise on the quota is the only feasible option. “Eventually, the government has to back down, otherwise it is evident that the situation will go out of its hands.”

“I haven’t seen such widespread disgust towards the ruling party and ruling party men in the past 15 years of the Awami League rule as has been witnessed in the last few days,” adds Hasan.

More than just being about quotas, explains Hasan, the anger and protests is at lack of employment opportunities. “Amid the economy not doing well and news of high-profile corruption cases, more Bangladeshis are feeling deprived, and they feel only government jobs are the way to live a secured life.”

“It is a protest by students staring at a bleak future without jobs,” he says.