Bangladesh Job Quota Protest: A nationwide curfew has been enforced and police have been given “shoot-on-sight” instructions, leaving Bangladesh in a state of chaos. Prior to a significant Supreme Court decision on the controversial employment quota system that has sparked massive protests among students, this extreme precaution was taken.
Curfew and Shoot-on-Sight Orders
Around the country, the government has imposed a harsh curfew in advance of the Supreme Court’s decision on Sunday. To quell the rising unrest, soldiers are roving the streets. The curfew was relaxed for a short while on Saturday afternoon so that locals could do necessary errands.
Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League party, informed AFP that police officers have been authorized to shoot on sight anyone violating the curfew.
Roots of the Protests
Protests started on college campuses and have since expanded across the country. At least 133 individuals, including many police officers, have died as a result of the violence and altercations with the police. The conflict centers around a civil service job quota system that reserves over half of the positions for specific groups, including the children of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War.
Supreme Court Verdict and Government Response
The Supreme Court’s impending decision will determine whether the civil service job quotas will be abolished. Last month, the High Court reinstated the quotas following petitions from relatives of Liberation War veterans, sparking the latest wave of protests.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has shut down all public and private educational institutions indefinitely, severely affecting students, including nearly 1,000 Indian students who have returned home due to the unrest.
International Reaction
The US State Department has issued a travel warning, advising Americans to avoid traveling to Bangladesh. They are also evacuating some diplomats and their families due to the escalating civil unrest.
Government’s Stance and Public Sentiment
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defended the quota system, asserting that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions to the war, regardless of their political affiliations. Her comparison of the protesters to collaborators with Pakistan during the 1971 independence war has further fueled tensions. The government has also imposed a communications blackout, blocking all internet and social media access since Thursday night.
Broader Movement Against the Government
What began as protests against the job quotas has evolved into a broader movement against Hasina’s government, which has been in power since 2009. The current unrest is some of the worst violence Bangladesh has witnessed in over a decade, reflecting deep-seated dissatisfaction with the ruling administration.
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