Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits a vandalized metro rail station at Mirpur 10, in Dhaka.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wept on July 25 as she surveyed the destruction wrought by days of deadly unrest, as student leaders weighed the future of the protests that sparked the disorder.

Last week’s violence killed at least 193 people, including several police officers, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals, in one of the biggest upheavals of Ms. Hasina’s 15-year tenure.

The unrest was precipitated by protests against a public jobs quota scheme that critics say gives preference to allies of Ms. Hasina’s ruling party.

Thousands of troops are still patrolling cities and a nationwide internet shutdown remains largely in effect, although clashes have subsided since protest leaders announced a temporary halt to new demonstrations.

Ms. Hasina, 76, spent the morning surveying destruction in the capital Dhaka, where the commuter rail network connecting the sprawling megacity of 20 million people was shut down after mob attacks.

“Over 15 years, I’ve built this country,” she told reporters, condemning protesters for damaging city infrastructure. “What didn’t I do for the people?

“Who has benefitted from what we have done?” she said. “Do I ride on the metro? Does the government only ride? Do our ministers only ride? Or is it in fact the general public that rides?”

Pictures released by Hasina’s office showed her flanked by an entourage and weeping at the sight of a vandalised metro station in an outlying Dhaka suburb.

The station was among several government buildings and dozens of police posts torched or vandalised during the unrest.

With calm returning to cities around Bangladesh, Ms. Hasina’s government ordered another relaxation to the curfew it imposed at the weekend to allow free movement between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Streets in Dhaka were choked with commuter traffic in the morning, days after ferocious clashes between police and protesters had left them almost deserted.

Banks, government offices and Bangladesh’s economically vital garment factories reopened on July 24 after they were closed last week.

Student leaders were set to meet later on July 25 to decide whether to again extend their protest moratorium, which is due to expire on July 26.

Students Against Discrimination, the group responsible for organising this month’s rallies, said it expected the government to make some concessions.

“We demand an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the nation for the mass murder of students,” Asif Mahmud, one of the group’s coordinators, told AFP.

“We also want the sacking of the home minister and education minister.”

Youth jobs crisis

Police told AFP they had arrested at least 4,000 people since last week, including 2,500 in Dhaka.

U.N. rights chief Volker Turk urged Bangladesh to conduct “an impartial, independent and transparent investigation” into the violence.

“We understand that many people were subjected to violent attacks by groups reportedly affiliated with the Government, and no effort was made to protect them,” he said in a statement.

Protests began after the reintroduction in June of a scheme reserving more than half of government jobs for certain candidates, including nearly a third for descendants of veterans from Bangladesh’s independence war.

With around 18 million young people in Bangladesh out of work, according to government figures, the move deeply upset graduates facing an acute jobs crisis.

Critics say the quota is used to stack public jobs with loyalists to Ms. Hasina’s Awami League.

The Supreme Court cut the number of reserved jobs on July 21 but fell short of protesters’ demands to scrap the quotas entirely.

Ms. Hasina has ruled Bangladesh since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.

Her government is also accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.

New Delhi:

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday that Bangladesh has officially objected to the recent comments made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the ongoing civil unrest in the neighbouring country.

“I can confirm that we have received a diplomatic note from the Bangladeshi side, protesting against the comments made by the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.

“I would like to underline that under the Seventh Schedule, Union List I, Item No. 10 of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into the relation with any foreign country are the sole prerogative of the Union government,” he added.

Addressing the Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata on July 21, Mamata Banerjee commented on the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, saying that she would not hesitate to provide shelter to the “helpless people” coming from the neighbouring country and seeking refuge in West Bengal.

“There is a United Nations resolution that the neighbouring countries should show respect and accommodate refugees coming from regions under turmoil,” the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

Reacting strongly, the Sheikh Hasina government termed the West Bengal CM’s remarks “provocative” and “inaccurate”, especially at a time when the local authorities were trying to normalise the tense situation there.

The MEA, meanwhile, termed the ongoing protests in Bangladesh an “internal matter” of the country and thanked the Bangladesh government for its “excellent cooperation” that has helped in the safe return of over 6,700 Indian students till now.

“We are aware of the situation in the country. We have been closely following the developments there. India considers the ongoing situation in the country to be an internal matter of Bangladesh. With the support and cooperation of the Bangladesh government, we were able to arrange for the safe return of our students which we deeply appreciate.

“We share warm and close ties and are hoping that the situation there will turn normal soon,” the MEA spokesperson said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Violence in Bangladesh has left over 130 dead as students demand reforms to a quota system governing the allocation of government jobs in the country. The protests intensified following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s controversial remarks, where she labelled the protestors as “Razakars”. This term, historically loaded and carrying a negative connotation, harks back to the East Pakistani volunteer force that opposed the creation of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation during its 1971 War of Independence.

The Spark

The protests, which began late last month, reached a boiling point earlier this week when student activists at Dhaka University, the largest university in the country, engaged in violent clashes with police and counter-protesters aligned with the ruling Awami League.

The controversial quota system reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. Protesters argue that this system is discriminatory and disproportionately benefits supporters of Prime Minister Hasina’s Awami League party. They advocate for a merit-based system to replace the existing quota. Prime Minister Hasina’s fiery remarks at a public gathering ignited further protests.

“If not the grandchildren of the freedom fighters, then who will get quota benefits? The grandchildren of the ‘Razakars’?” the Bangladeshi PM asked. “This is my question. I want to ask the people of the nation. If the protesters don’t comply, I can do nothing. They can continue their protest. If protesters damage properties or attack cops, the law will take its course. We can’t help.”

PM Hasina’s intent was to highlight the importance of preserving benefits for the descendants of those who fought for Bangladesh’s independence. However, the term “Razakar” struck a raw nerve. It is a term that conjures up memories of widespread violence from the 1971 War of Independence, during which the “Razakars” collaborated with the Pakistani army against the Bengali nationalist movement.

Historical Context Of The Term “Razakar”

The “Razakars” were a paramilitary force recruited by the Pakistani army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Comprised primarily of pro-Pakistani Bengalis and Urdu-speaking Biharis, the “Razakars” were involved in numerous atrocities, including mass killings, rapes, and torture. The 1971 war saw immense suffering, with estimates of civilian deaths ranging from 300,000 to 3 million. The scars of these events are still evident in the national psyche.

In 2010, Prime Minister Hasina’s government established the International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute those accused of war crimes during the 1971 conflict. This move was part of her strategy to address historical injustices and was widely seen as a fulfilment of her party’s electoral promises. The tribunal has since convicted several individuals, predominantly from the now-banned Jamaat-e-Islami party.

In December 2019, the government published a list of 10,789 individuals identified as “Razakars”, marking the first official recognition of these collaborators. This list included prominent figures and was intended to ensure that future generations understand the historical context of their actions.

The Contentious Quota System

The current protests are rooted in the quota system for government jobs, which allocates significant portions to descendants of freedom fighters. This system, established in 1972 and abolished briefly in 2018 before being reinstated, has been a source of contention. Critics argue that it disproportionately benefits Awami League supporters and limits opportunities for other qualified candidates.

“They are protesting against the repressive nature of the state,” said Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh expert at the University of Oslo in Norway, as quoted by news agency AFP. “Protesters are questioning Hasina’s leadership, accusing her of clinging onto power by force. The students are in fact calling her a dictator.”

Student protests against the quota system have a history in Bangladesh. The latest wave began after the decision to reinstate the system, which was followed by the Supreme Court suspending the order pending a government appeal. This legal limbo has left many students frustrated, feeling that their demands for a merit-based system are being ignored.

The students’ grievances extend beyond the quota system. High youth unemployment and a stagnant economy have all contributed to a sense of frustration and despair. Public sector jobs, with their regular wages and benefits, are highly coveted in a country where economic opportunities are limited.
 

Anti-quota supporters clash with police and Awami League supporters at the Rampura area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Indian High Commission in Dhaka issued an urgent advisory for members of the Indian community and students residning in Banlgadesh amid violent protests that have killed seven.

“In view of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Indian community members and the Indian students residing in Bangladesh are advised to avoid travel and minimize their movement outside their living premises,” the Indian High Commission said in an advisory on July 18.

The Commission has also put out 24-Hour Emergency contact numbers in case of any urgency or need for assistance.

Bangladesh students continue protest

Bangladesh students continued their nationwide protest against civil service hiring rules and rebuffed an olive branch from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who vowed for justice for the seven killed in the demonstrations.

Schools and universities were shut in the country on July 17 as the government stepped up efforts to contain the violent rallies with riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

In televised address to the nation, Ms. Hasina condemned the ‘murder’ of the protesters and vowed that those responsible will be punished regardless of their political affiliation.

But Students Against Discrimination, the main group behind the rallies called Ms. Hasina’s words insincere and called for a nationwide shutdown on July 18.

The call was widely observed in the capital Dhaka, with barely any vehicles seen on the city’s usually traffic-choked roads.

More than 500 others were injured in clashes around the country on July 17, while six people were killed on July 16.

Why are students protesting?

Thousands of Bangladeshi university students threw roadblocks across key highways on July 7, demanding the end of “discriminatory” quotas for coveted government jobs, including reserving posts for children of liberation heroes.

The current system reserves more than half of posts, totalling hundreds of thousands of government jobs.

That includes 30 percent reserved for children of those who fought to win Bangladeshi independence in 1971, 10% for women, and 10% set aside for specific districts.

Students said only those quotas supporting ethnic minorities and disabled people – 6% of jobs – should remain.

Students set wood on fire as they protest against quotas in government jobs at Dhaka University in the capital on July 17, 2024. Bangladeshi students on July 17, mourned classmates killed in protests over civil service hiring rules, a day after the government ordered the indefinite closure of schools nationwide to restore order.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Bangladeshi students pressed on July 18 with nationwide protests against civil service hiring rules, rebuffing an olive branch from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who pledged justice for 18 killed in the demonstrations.

Ms. Hasina’s government has ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely and stepped up efforts to contain weeks of rallies demanding equal access to public sector jobs.

Riot police again fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds of protesters, with 11 more deaths reported through the day as the government ordered the shutdown of mobile internet networks to quell demonstrations.

Ms. Hasina condemned the “murder” of protesters in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday and vowed that those responsible will be punished regardless of their political affiliation.

But Students Against Discrimination, the main group behind this month’s rallies, dismissed her words as insincere and urged supporters to press on.

“It did not reflect the murders and mayhem carried out by her party activists,” Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the protests, told AFP.

Fresh clashes broke out in several cities across Bangladesh throughout the day as riot police marched on protesters, who began another round of human blockades on roads and highways.

Police injured dozens of students by firing rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered at Bangladesh’s top private university in Dhaka.

Helicopters rescued 60 police officers who were trapped on the roof of a campus building at Canadian University, the scene of some of the capital’s fiercest clashes on Thursday, the elite Rapid Action Battalion police force said in a statement.

Three students and a rickshaw driver were brought dead to one Dhaka hospital.

“They all had rubber bullet injuries,” Kuwait Moitri Hospital assistant superintendent Mahfuz Ara Begum told AFP.

“More than 150 students are also being treated here. Most were hit by rubber bullets in their eyes.”

Other hospitals reported a combined total of seven other deaths to AFP through the day, including five in Dhaka and two in nearby cities.

Seven others were killed earlier this week.

Mobile internet down

Bangladeshis reported widespread mobile internet outages around the country on Thursday, two days after internet providers cut off access to Facebook — the protest campaign’s key organising platform.

Junior telecommunications minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak told AFP that the government had ordered the network cut off.

He earlier told reporters that social media had been “weaponised as a tool to spread rumours, lies and disinformation”, forcing the government to restrict access.

Along with police crackdowns, demonstrators and students allied to the premier’s ruling Awami League have also battled each other on the streets with bricks and bamboo rods.

Ms. Hasina’s speech did not assign responsibility for the deaths, but descriptions from hospital authorities and students suggest at least some died when police used supposedly non-lethal weapons on demonstrations.

Rights group Amnesty International said video evidence from clashes this week showed that Bangladeshi security forces had used unlawful force.

Clashes overnight included a battle on Dhaka’s outskirts between police and more than 1,000 protesters who set fire to a roadside toll booth.

“We spent the whole night fending off attacks from the protesters,” deputy police commissioner Iqbal Hossain told AFP.

‘Calling her a dictator’

Near-daily marches this month have demanded an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service posts for specific groups, including children of veterans from the country’s 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.

Critics say the scheme benefits children of pro-government groups that back Ms. Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.

Her administration is accused by rights groups of capturing state institutions and stamping out dissent, including by the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.

Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh expert at the University of Oslo in Norway, said the protests had grown into a wider expression of discontent with Ms. Hasina’s autocratic rule.

“They are protesting against the repressive nature of the state,” he told AFP.

“Protesters are questioning Ms. Hasina’s leadership, accusing her of clinging onto power by force,” he added. “The students are in fact calling her a dictator.”