The student protest in Dhaka has entered a new phase, pressuring the regime to call the Army and impose the curfew. Until now, almost 112 students have lost their lives in violent clashes with the Police and law enforcement agencies. The recent wave of protests began on June 5, 2024, when the Bangladesh High Court nullified Ms Hasina’s executive order that had eliminated all quotas.
This judicial action reinstated all quotas in the Bangladesh civil service following an appeal by a descendant of a freedom fighter and six others. In response to the High Court’s decision, the government filed an appeal with the Supreme Court’s appellate division. It became clear that with the court’s reinstatement of the quota system, Ms Hasina would likely push to reintroduce the previous system, which included a 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters.
Who Are Razakars?
Playing the victim card, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh termed thousands of students protesting against the quota for freedom fighters’ families as ‘Razakars’ a derogatory term used in Bangladesh for people who supported the Pakistani military against the militias of Mukti Bahini. This Indian-backed militia group was active in the 1970s. It is also worth mentioning here that the same Dhaka University (DU) was the epicenter of the movement that led to the separation of East Pakistan.
It was at the same time when the President of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba East Pakistan Abdul Malik was gunned down by the workers of Mukti Bahini, because of pro-Pakistan sentiments. Now more than a half-century later, the same Dhaka University is witnessing another spree of violence, and this time the perpetrator is out in the open for everyone to see. The draconian rule of Hasina Wajida is marked by the stories of corruption, jailing the opposition leaders, and severe human rights abuses.
What is a Quota System?
In 1972, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, the founding father of the country, established a quota system that allocated a portion of government jobs to the descendants of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
Under this system, 44 percent of first- and second-class government jobs are awarded based on merit.
The remaining 56 percent are reserved for specific communities:
30 percent for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters
10 percent for women
10 percent for “backward” districts (“zila quota”)
5 percent for ethnic minorities
1 percent for people with physical disabilities
The Recent Supreme Court Decision
On Sunday, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court reduced a controversial job quota system following a week of nationwide unrest that resulted in over 100 deaths, according to local media. The Supreme Court has mandated that the quota for veterans’ descendants be reduced to 5 percent, with 93 percent of jobs allocated based on merit. The remaining 2 percent will be reserved for ethnic minorities, transgender individuals, and people with disabilities.
This ruling, issued on Sunday, follows weeks of demonstrations—primarily led by students—that escalated into deadly violence on Tuesday when groups associated with the Awami League attacked the protesters. Activists have accused the police of using “unlawful force” against the demonstrators.
While student groups organizing the protests have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, they plan to continue their demonstrations until their main demands are met. These include the release of those imprisoned and the resignation of the officials responsible for the violence.
Related: High Commission Issues Advisory Amid Protests in Bangladesh
The writer, Muhammad Saad, is an M.Phil scholar of Political Science at GCU Lahore.