Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is facing a major challenge just about six months into her fourth term in office. On the face of it, the current protests in Bangladesh is about reservation or quotas in government jobs for children of freedom fighters. But it is also a reflection of the larger malaise in society. There are question marks on this year’s elections as the polls were boycotted by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party for not offering a level playing field to all candidates.
The protests reflect the pent-up frustration of a people faced with the arrogance and corruption of a ruling party that cannot tolerate dissent. The government cracks down on all manner of dissent with an iron hand. The police are ruthless and are aided by the youth wing of the ruling party who operate under police protection.
The movement turned violent because political parties have also got into the act now. Among the protesters are members of the Jamaat as well as the youth wing of the opposition Bangladesh National Party(BNP) according to people monitoring the situation . The para military have been brought out to control the situation and the army is reportedly guarding some vital installations now. The situation is fluid and could tip either way – the government could bring it under control as it has asked the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict on the quota issue by Sunday instead of August 7. Or the situation could further deteriorate. The MEA has refused to comment on the plea that this is an internal matter of Bangladesh. All of India’s 15,000 Indian nationals including 8,500 students in the neighbouring country are safe.
"The images that surfaced on online news portals, including this newspaper and social media, showing helmet-wearing activists of Chhatra League attacking protesters, including girls, with various weapons and sticks to break student demonstrations at several universities are deeply depressing, outrageous, and deplorable," Bangladesh’s leading English newspaper the Daily Star wrote in an editorial earlier this week.
The student protests began after the High Court restored reservation for descendants of freedom fighters on June 5. Sheikh Hasina’s insensitive remarks further fueled the fire. After returning from a high-profile visit to China, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a news conference on the 7th of July. Here among the many questions she was asked about the students protest, that began over 30 percent quota of government jobs reserved for families of freedom fighters, those that had fought against the Pakistan army for the liberation in 1971.
While replying to the question she arrogantly asserted that if seats were not reserved for children of freedom fighters, should they be kept for the families of razakars? That is a politically loaded issue in Bangladesh.
Razakar was the name reserved for those who sided with Pakistan in the 1971 liberation war. This section many of them members of Jamaat, did not want to break away from Pakistan. They were responsible for some of the worst atrocities during the liberation war. There are deep fault lines in Bangladesh society, with the families of razakars still regarded as traitors by many including members of the ruling Awami League..
The Awami League government had done away with the quota for children of freedom fighters in 2018. The 30 percent reservation for families of freedom fighters was initiated in 1972, soon after the former East Pakistan broke away to carve out a new nation. At that time, when freedom fighters and their families had suffered major trauma at the hands of the razakars and the Pakistani army were rewarded by the new government with a 30 percent reservation of civil servant jobs for them and their family members.
Families of some of the freedom fighters went to court demanding the restoration of the quotas. The high court order of June asked the government to restore the 30 percent quota. The matter is now before the Bangladesh Supreme Court and a verdict is expected by the first week of August. But the latest information is that in view of the crisis the apex court order will now be on Sunday.
The students anger is understandable. Though the Bangladesh economy has performed exceptionally well earlier, the Covid 19 lockdown led to a downturn. The country is now struggling and there are not enough private jobs for all. Private companies also hire and fire at will. Under the circumstances, government jobs are sought after as it is seen as stable with a pension at the end of service.
While no one objected to quota’s in the early decades of freedom, now after 53 years of independence the grandchildren of freedom fighters, who were not born at that time, certainly do not deserve this privilege, is the point made by the students.
Sheikh Hasina has since offered an olive branch. She said in a televised address on Wednesday, “I am requesting all to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered,” and added “I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed.”
But is this too little too late?
The opposition has no voice as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Khaleda Zia refused to contest the 2024 national elections. The boycott was because of the ruling Awami League’s refusal to allow a free and fair elections under a caretaker government. Bangladesh like Pakistan and several other countries has a rule that the ruling party must step down and give over the reins of government to a neutral team for free and fair elections.
