The quota reform movement started on the 1st day of July 2024. At first, it was termed a quota reform movement, but gradually, it became an anti-quota as well as an anti-government movement fueled by some opportunistic political powers.
Thus, it started as a non-violent movement but became one of the most violent movements in the history of Bangladesh. Unprecedented turmoil was seen when fundamentalist parties like BNP and Jamaat declared to stage demonstrations aligning with the quota movement. Although most of the quota has now been scaled back by a government ruling, the protestors are instigating violence under the cloak of the student movement. It seems more horror is waiting for the country; as fundamentalist groups are orchestrating the current mayhem.
From job quota protests to anti-government protest
The quota reform protests, which have been ongoing for several years, represent a broader discontent within Bangladesh’s youth regarding employment opportunities and fairness in public sector recruitment. The students’ demands were straightforward: Abolish this quota and give jobs on merit. They argued that the system failed to reflect the needs and aspirations of contemporary Bangladesh.
Moreover, this movement can be regarded as successful in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to reform the quota system in the jobs at government, semi-government, and autonomous bodies. The Supreme Court ordered a reduction in the freedom fighters’ quota from 30% to 5%, with 93% of jobs allocated based on merit. The decision is welcomed, even though it took longer than anticipated, given the current political and social unrest.
While general students have cautiously welcomed this decision, it has not been enough to quell the unrest. Several vested groups snatched the movement from students and started demanding more and more. Students Against Discrimination, the leading group behind the protests, has asked people to stop paying taxes and utility bills to pile pressure on the government by the influence of opponent parties. They have also asked government workers and laborers in the country’s economically vital garment factories to strike. Thus, the student protest started with a demand to abolish quotas in civil service jobs last month and has now turned into a broader anti-government movement.
The anti-government movement resulted in widespread violence and instability across Bangladesh, killing over a hundred people and injuring thousands more. Furthermore, the attempts to destroy the country’s mass infrastructures and other violent episodes that occurred during the protests highlighted the depth of the danger. Over the past few days, numerous significant locations in the capital have been subjected to vandalism and arson. The terrorists attacked the structures, which showcased the government’s successes along with easing the people’s lives.
These perpetrators’ activities prompted the government to deploy the armed forces to support the civil administration in restoring law and order nationwide and to impose a nationwide curfew. According to the Bangladesh Army Chief, the Army has been deployed in its respective areas of responsibility to provide overall security to the public and protect critical installations. The Army’s deployment was calculated to strengthen the civil administration’s ability to handle a complex and unstable situation. The troops were taken only to protect public safety and prevent violence from worsening. Peace had returned until the BNP-Jamaat started orchestrating a violent form which was absent in the peaceful Bangladesh.
The current mayhem led by the BNP-Jamaat
It is worth mentioning that Jamaat-Shibir terrorists initially maintained a low profile, intruding in the guise of the quota reform movement. Still, afterward, they appeared dangerously in the front, cashing in on the movement. Their motive was never the quota reform but to topple the current government. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh are instigating violence under the cloak of the student movement. With them by their side, the student leaders demand that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh is under attack from BNP and Jamaat-Shibir militants.
On 4th August, these terrorists targeted and attacked Bangladesh Awami League party offices, law enforcement agents, journalists, and civilians. To secure the unconstitutional fall of a government, the militants attacked, burnt, vandalized, and looted houses of Al leaders, offices of Police and administration, and some hospitals across the country. Not only that, these perpetrators attacked and looted various religious minority properties and killed a prominent Hindu Leader and a local councilor, Haradhan Ray, in Rangpur. They also attacked several journalists and killed a local journalist, Prodip Kumar Bhaumik, in Sirajganj.
Their brutality reached its peak when at least 13 policemen were killed in Sirajganj’s Enayetpur Police Station. At around 11 am, some 3000-4000 protestors and BNP-Jamaat activists started vandalizing surrounding the police station. Later, they entered the police station and attacked the police officers. At that time, the police officers were severely beaten and seriously injured with locally made weapons and batons. One by one, they all died without treatment at the police station premises. This shows the ultimate picture of human rights violations by fundamentalist groups, which shocked the whole country.
These are not exhaustive lists; more info is still coming in about killings and destructions. This is not politics. The criminals are not students. They are terrorists, and they must be stopped. The international community must take note of these terrorist and violent acts that the Bangladesh government is facing and handling daily. Unfortunately, global media is portraying a very one-sided picture of the events. And if these events are going on, Bangladesh will be in the hands of the fundamentalists again.
Also Read: India advises its nationals not to travel to Bangladesh until further notice
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