Top factors triggering violent Bangladesh quota protests

The two week long anti quota protests have turned violent after groups belonging to the ruling party clashed with the student protesters in Dhaka. More than 400 people were injured  and 5 people succumbed on Monday and Tuesday as the protesters got brutally beaten. The main protest was against the ruling government job quota system amid rising unemployment in the country.

The protests had begun on July 1 2024 after the High Court reinstated the job quota that reserved one third of the civil services for children of the 1971 freedom movement fighters.

Who are the Protesters and what do they want?

Students from govt and private universities across the country are protesting and have demanded a reform in the conventional reform system. They do not belong to any political group and want a merit based system that is fair to all the participants.

Thousands of students from University of Dhaka and Chittagong University are participating in the protests.

The Quota System in Detail

In 1972, the founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman had started a reservation system, reserving a percentage of govt jobs for children and grandchildren of those persons who participated in the freedom struggle. 

Under the system 44% of first and second class govt jobs are merit based only while remaining 56% are reserved for specific communities. It can be classified as 30 percent for f

freedom fighters children and grandchildren, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for zilla quota for backward districts and 1% for people with physical disabilities.

Government’s Response

In response to the protest turning into a violent riot like situation, the government had to deploy police and CRPF teams and they have sprung into action making it more intense. The police were reported to have opened fire and as a result 20 people including students and 3 policemen were grievously injured. 

The injured are treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital along with 297 others.