Violent protests have erupted across Bangladesh as students oppose Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s efforts to fulfill her political goals. Universities have transformed into battlegrounds, with students on one side and Hasina’s forces on the other. The clashes, which have lasted for over a week, involve the use of batons, bullets, and tanks by the army, while students retaliate with stone-throwing. So far, 25 people have died, prompting Hasina to order the indefinite closure of educational institutions nationwide.
The root cause of the unrest lies in the reservation system for public sector jobs. University students in Dhaka and other cities have been rallying against this system, particularly the quota for relatives of war heroes who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. These war heroes form a crucial part of Hasina’s voter base. The quota system began in 1972, but Hasina had to withdraw it in 2018 after significant protests. Recently, the Dhaka High Court ruled to grant a 30% reservation to war heroes’ families, a decision the Supreme Court subsequently banned. However, Hasina rejected the Supreme Court’s ruling, leading to accusations that she is strengthening her vote bank by pushing for these reservations.
This defiance has ignited widespread student protests, beginning at the University of Dhaka and spreading throughout the country. In response, Hasina has closed all universities indefinitely and deployed the army to suppress the dissent. The government’s heavy-handed approach has only intensified the conflict, turning educational institutions into hotspots of violence and civil unrest.
The situation underscores the deep-seated tensions in Bangladesh’s political landscape, particularly the contentious issue of job reservations and the lengths to which the government will go to maintain its support base. The prolonged unrest reflects the students’ determination to resist policies perceived as unfair and politically motivated, posing a significant challenge to Hasina’s administration.
Original Story https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report-dna-tv-show-why-violent-protests-erupted-in-bangladesh-dhaka-quota-war-heroes-in-govt-jobs-sheikh-hasina-3097392
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