Bangladeshi Students Demand End to Job Quotas, Claiming Discrimination

Thousands of students from major universities in Bangladesh took to the streets on Sunday, blocking key highways and demanding an end to the country’s “discriminatory” job quota system. The protesters, who included students from almost all major universities, are seeking a merit-based system for coveted government jobs, which they claim are currently reserved for children of liberation heroes, women, and specific districts.

The current system, which was reinstated by the Dhaka High Court in June, reserves more than half of government posts, including 30 percent for children of those who fought for Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, 10 percent for women, and 10 percent for specific districts. The students, however, want to keep only the quotas for ethnic minorities and disabled people, and are demanding that the rest be abolished.

Critics of the system claim that it benefits children of pro-government groups, who support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was Bangladesh’s founding leader, and Hasina has been in power since 2009. The country has experienced rapid economic growth under her leadership, with per capita income overtaking India in 2021. However, many economists argue that this growth has been fueled by the mostly female factory workforce powering the garment export industry, and that there is a severe crisis of jobs for millions of university students.

The students, who are calling the system “a do-or-die situation,” are determined to bring about change. “Quotas are a discriminatory system,” said protest coordinator Nahidul Islam, 26. “The system has to be reformed.” The students’ demands have been met with resistance from Hasina, who has condemned the protests and claimed that the matter has been settled by the court. “Students are wasting their time,” she told female activists from her party. “After the court’s verdict, there is no justification for the anti-quota movement.”

Despite Hasina’s dismissal of their demands, the students are undeterred. “We will bury the quota system,” they chanted during protests in Bangladesh’s second city, Chittagong, where hundreds of protesters marched. In Dhaka, hundreds of students disrupted traffic for hours, and at least 500 students blocked the highway connecting the capital with southeastern Bangladesh for two hours.

The protests, which began in July, have grown in size, with at least 30,000 students participating, according to protest leader Bin Yamin Molla. The students are determined to bring about change and are willing to fight for their rights. As one student put it, “It’s a do-or-die situation for us.”

Historical Context:

Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a bloody war, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who later became the country’s first president. The country has since been ruled by various governments, with the current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, being the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The quota system was initially introduced in the 1990s to ensure representation of underrepresented groups in government jobs. However, over the years, it has been criticized for being misused and benefiting only certain groups, including those with close ties to the government.

The quota system was reinstated by the Dhaka High Court in June, sparking widespread protests from students who claim it is discriminatory and hinders their chances of getting government jobs based on merit.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• Thousands of students from major universities in Bangladesh protested on Sunday, demanding an end to the country’s job quota system, which they claim is discriminatory. • The current system reserves more than half of government posts for children of liberation heroes, women, and specific districts, with critics arguing it benefits children of pro-government groups. • The students want to keep only the quotas for ethnic minorities and disabled people and abolish the rest, citing a “do-or-die situation” for their job prospects. • Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condemned the protests, saying the matter has been settled by the court and that students are wasting their time. • Despite Hasina’s dismissal, the students are undeterred and have been protesting since July, with at least 30,000 participating in the demonstrations. • The protests have disrupted traffic in major cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong, with students determined to bring about change and fight for their rights. • The students claim that the quota system is hindering their chances of getting government jobs based on merit and that it is fueling a severe crisis of jobs for millions of university students.