Job-quota opponents clash with police and Awami League supporters at the Rampura area of Dhaka, Bangladesh
For days, university students in Bangladesh have been demonstrating against a quota system for government jobs they consider unfair and have been locked in deadly clashes with the police and supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party. At least 17 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured following the demonstration that started about a month ago.
Cause of Bangladesh Students Protest
About a month ago, a High Court in Bangladesh delivered a judgment reinstating a quota system for government jobs. This judgment of the court canceled a decision previously taken by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina's administration to scrap the quota job system in 2018.
Not satisfied with the High Court ruling on the quota job system, the Bangladesh government appealed the case at the apex court in the land, The Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
The Supreme Court set aside the High Court judgment and chose August 7 for the hearing of the case.
The decision of the Supreme Court seems to have triggered the students against the government official, ruling party members, and some government agencies including the Bangladesh police.
The quota system reserves 30% of government jobs for the families of freedom fighters who assisted the country in gaining independence from Pakistan. The system students asked Sheik Hasina to abolish but she insisted they have to wait for the Supreme Court judgment on the said matter.
Noticeably, Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement. Protesters and critics say the 30% quota for families of freedom fighters favors Awami League supporters who led the independence fight.
Besides, the protest intensified after Sheik Hasina called the protesters "razakar," an offensive term for those accused of collaborating with Pakistan's army in 1971 to betray the country.
What is a quota job system?
Introduced in 1972, Bangladesh's quota system has gone through several changes since. When it was abolished in 2018, 56% of government jobs were blocked under various quotas.
The bulk covered groups such as freedom fighters' families, with women and those from underdeveloped districts receiving a share of a 10th each, with 5% allotted to indigenous communities and 1% for the disabled.
The protesting students want all categories abolished, except the last two.
The protest went violent this week following clashes between thousands of anti-quota demonstrators and members of the student wing of Hasina's Awami League party.
About 32 million out of 172 million people in Bangladesh are currently unemployed as the country battles a 10% rise in inflation among other economic hardships.
Attached Photo(s):
RoundTable Image 
RoundTable Image 
RoundTable Image
Category: World-News
Tag: Students Clash with Police Ruling Party Supporters Over Protest for Government Jobs Quota System
Written by Author (author)
Published 7/19/2024 2:34:23 PM