Why in news
At least 130 people have been killed in the student protest clashes against quotas for government jobs in Bangladesh.
In a new development, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court dismissed the order of the High Court that had precipitated the crisis, and reserved 93% of the seats in government services for merit, allocating just 5% jobs for freedom fighters and their descendants.
A one per cent quota each has been allocated for tribes, differentially abled people and sexual minorities.
Why the protest
The seeds of the present quota reform movement lies in the smaller anti-quota movement of 2018.
On March 8, 2018, the Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition challenging the legality of the quota system in the country that had existed since the early 1970s.
In this backdrop, Ms. Hasina declared that she would maintain the quota for the descendants of the veterans of the liberation war.
It was broadly understood that this quota which was started by her father Sheikh Mujib was an emotional matter for her.
But this declaration of support for the quota for the descendants of the liberation war triggered a major agitation by students.
Responding to the agitation, Ms. Hasina cancelled all quotas in the Bangladesh Civil service through an executive order.
This was a jolt for the students who just wanted a reform of the quota system and not abolition.
It was clear that if freedom fighters were not to get any quota then no one else would either.
During the next two years, over several rounds of discussion, Ms. Hasina stuck to her decision to abolish all quotas and in 2020, the executive order became operational.
On June 5, 2024, the Bangladesh High Court nullified Ms. Hasina’s executive order that had dissolved all quotas.
This action by the judiciary restored all quotas in the Bangladesh civil service.
This judicial intervention was brought upon by an appeal filed by the descendent of a freedom fighter and six other individuals.
Responding to the High Court’s verdict, the government filed an appeal with the appellate division of the Supreme Court.
It became apparent that since the court had brought back the quota system, Ms. Hasina would try and ensure that the earlier system of 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters is reintroduced in the new quota system.
This triggered the current protests.
The appellate division of the Supreme Court then issued an order halting the High Court’s order till the government’s appeal was fully heard.
Ms. Hasina appealed to the students to allow the Supreme Court’s appellate division to complete the hearing.
However, there was uncertainty about the judiciary’s decision.
Students wanted the Prime Minister to consult them and other stakeholders and come up with an inclusive quota system and implement the same through an executive order.
It was felt that if Ms. Hasina could abolish the quota system as she did in 2018, she could also bring in a quota as per the demand of the protesters.
At the core of the negotiations was the concern of the protesters about the 30% quota for freedom fighters and their descendants and the possibility that Ms. Hasina would bring back the quota for freedom fighters in jobs through either an appellate tribunal or executive decision which would limit the availability of merit-based jobs.
In the backdrop of the hearing in the appellate division and the protests, Ms. Hasina termed the protesters who opposed quota for freedom fighters’ families as ‘razakars’ or traitors who supported the Pakistani military in carrying out large-scale atrocities against men and women in 1971.
This enraged the students who demanded an apology from her and occupied public squares.
The situation escalated as the police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) cracked down on protesters.
The Awami League, the ruling party of Bangladesh, was also accused of using its student leaders to crack down on the protests.
This led to further confrontation and finally the military had to be pressed into service.
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