A Critical Examination Of The Protests on July 1,2024, by Bangladesh Students.
First of all, Under PM Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the quota system was first implemented in 1972, with 30 % of the quota going to freedom fighters.
In 1997,the quota were extended to the fighters’ children, and in 2010 they were extended to their grandkids.
In October 2018,the quotation system for first and second-class positions was discontinued. But the Bangladesh High Court will reintroduce the quota system in front of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on June 5, 2024.
And under the leadership of Nahid lslam, a human rights advocate and Dhaka University student in the sociology department, Bangladeshi students start to demonstrate against the quotation system.
The purpose of this article is to address the following important queries regarding the protests by Bangladeshi students:
1- Situation in Bangladesh
2- Demonstrations against the quota system
3- Dictatorial crackdown of students protests
4- Students resistance and road ahead
5-What is the job quota debate?
Liberation War In 1971:
Preface Between East Pakistan and West Pakistan, the Liberation War broke out in 1971.
East Pakistan split out from West Pakistan on December 16, 1971, as a result.
Causes:
The Liberation War has two primary causes.
1- Political Discrimination: West Pakistan had 138 seats and East Pakistan 162 seats in the 1970 elections. The Awami League was meant to rule both East and West Pakistan following this election. However, the West Pakistani military had no desire for this.
General Yahya Khan, the chief military commander of Pakistan, rejected the election results and declared the martial law in East Pakistan.
2- Economic Discrimination:
Only 25% of industrial investment went to East Pakistan, despite the fact that East Pakistan accounted for 59% of the nation’s exports.
Freedom Fighters and Razakars:
There were two categories of participants in the 1971 Liberation War.
Razakars: “The Razakars are a military group that supported West Pakistan during the 1971 War.”
Approximately fifty thousand people backed the West Pakistan Army.
To track down and prosecute these Razakars, Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rahman enacted the International Crimes Tribunal Act in 1973, the year his government was formed.
Razakar in Bangladeshi signifies “anti-national.
Freedom Fighters: “The group of people whoght for East Pakistan is called Freedom Fighters.”
Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rahman initially devised the quotation system for the Freedom Fighters in Bangladesh in 1972, following the country’s independence in December 1971.
This quotation was expanded to include the offsprings of Freedom Fighters in 1997. Additionally, it was said in 2010 that the grandchildren of Freedom Fighters should also be included in this remark.
Bangladesh Quota System:
The Ministry of Cabinet Service issued an
order in 1972 implementing the quotation system.
The Quota System provided 30% of Jobs to independence fighters, 10% to women, 10% to backward districts, 5% to minorities, 1% to those with disabilities, and 44% based on merit.
Students Protests on July 1,2024:
The quota system for First and Second Class
positions was removed in October 2018. However, on June 5,2024, the Bangladesh High Court reinstated the quota system in front of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
And Bangladesh students will begin protesting against the quota system on July 1, 2024, led by NAHID ISLAM, a human rights activist and student of the Department of Sociology at Dhaka University.
Third-year international relations student at Dhaka University Faheem Furaki claims: “Our protest is not against the quota system. The reform of the system is the goal instead”.
Bangladeshi pupils will begin the “Rasta Roko and Rail Roko Program” on July 7, 2024.
PM Sheikh Hasine said on July 14,2024, “Why do they have so much hatred towards freedom fighters?”
Should the children of Razakar receive benefits if the offspring and grandkids of the liberation fighters are not eligible for a quota?
“Razakars have no rights to hold the blood stained red and green flag of the Liberation War,” stated Social Welfare Minister Dipu Moni.
As a result, pupils begin saying “1,2,3,4 we are all Razakars.” Who are we? Who are we?
Razakars. Who said this? “Who said that?”
On July 15, 2024, Bangladesh Chattra League students (16 groups of Awami League student) take on the job of controlling protest.
On July 18,2024, police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets during a rally. On July 18, 30 protesters died, and the internet was shut down across the country.
The UN Secretary General,urged the Bangladesh government to “protect the demonstrations against any form of violence.”
On July 21, 2024, the government reduced the quota system from 56% to 7%,with 5% allocated to freedom warriors, 1% to minorities, and 1% to those with impairments.
PM Sheikh Hasina resigned as a Prime Minister on August 5,2024.
This article is written by Shah Zaib Khan who is a student of International Relations at the department of Politics & IR at IIUI. His area of interest is conflict resolution & geopolitics. The views expressed in this articles are author’s own views and don’t reflect the opinion or views of the Forum.
