Bangladesh: Quota Crisis Escalates, Leaving 3 Dead and Hundreds Injured

In Bangladesh, a violent clash between rival groups over government job quotas has resulted in the deaths of at least three people and left hundreds injured. The incident occurred on Tuesday, a day after more than 400 people were injured in similar clashes.

The violence erupted as students demanding a merit-based system for government jobs clashed with counter-protesters supporting the ruling Awami League party. The students, who have been staging near-daily protests for weeks, are seeking to abolish the quota system that reserves more than half of well-paid civil service posts for specific groups, including children of heroes from the country’s 1971 liberation war from Pakistan.

The quota system has been criticized for benefiting children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive election in January. The students, who are demanding a change, have been met with resistance from the ruling party and its supporters.

On Tuesday, opposing student groups marched in several locations around Dhaka, with some throwing bricks at each other. In the southwestern port city of Chittagong, a student and a laborer were killed, while in the northern city of Rangpur, a student was killed in clashes with police. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protesters.

A student reporter from Rokeya University, Tauhidul Haque Siam, claimed that ruling party supporters had attacked anti-quota protesters, and police had opened fire on the protesters. However, the police have not confirmed this account.

In Dhaka, teenagers also joined the protests, with one schoolgirl reporting that the ruling party’s youth wing had attacked them with firearms, Molotov cocktails, machetes, and sticks.

On Monday, demonstrators said they were holding peaceful marches in Dhaka when they were attacked by student activists from the ruling party. In that violence, 297 people were treated at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, with 12 serious enough to have been admitted. More than 100 students were treated at the Jahangirnagar University’s medical centre, and 11 more at the Enam Medical College Hospital.

Amnesty International has urged Bangladesh to “immediately guarantee the safety of all peaceful protesters,” while the US State Department has denounced the “violence against peaceful protesters.” The incident is a significant escalation in the efforts to hinder a determined campaign that has ignored calls by Bangladesh’s prime minister and top court for the students to return to class.

Key Points:

• At least three people were killed and hundreds injured in violent clashes over government job quotas in Bangladesh.
• The quota system reserves more than half of well-paid civil service posts for specific groups, including children of heroes from the country’s 1971 liberation war from Pakistan.
• Critics say the system benefits children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
• Students have been staging near-daily protests for weeks, demanding a merit-based system for government jobs.
• The violence is an escalation in efforts to hinder a determined campaign that has ignored calls by Bangladesh’s prime minister and top court for the students to return to class.
• Amnesty International and the US State Department have urged Bangladesh to ensure the safety of peaceful protesters.

Historical Context:

Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a bloody war, which was led by the Awami League party. The country has since been ruled by the Awami League party, with Sheikh Hasina serving as the Prime Minister since 2009. The quota system, which reserves government jobs for specific groups, including children of heroes from the 1971 liberation war, was introduced in the 1990s. The system has been criticized for benefiting children of pro-government groups and has been a source of controversy in recent years.

The quota system has been a contentious issue in Bangladesh, with many arguing that it is unfair and hinders merit-based recruitment. The students’ demand for a merit-based system is not new, but the recent protests have gained momentum, with students from various universities and colleges participating. The protests have been met with resistance from the ruling party and its supporters, leading to violent clashes.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• At least three people were killed and hundreds injured in violent clashes over government job quotas in Bangladesh. • The quota system reserves more than half of well-paid civil service posts for specific groups, including children of heroes from the country’s 1971 liberation war from Pakistan. • Critics say the system benefits children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. • Students have been staging near-daily protests for weeks, demanding a merit-based system for government jobs. • The violence is an escalation in efforts to hinder a determined campaign that has ignored calls by Bangladesh’s prime minister and top court for the students to return to class. • Amnesty International and the US State Department have urged Bangladesh to ensure the safety of peaceful protesters. • The clashes occurred on Tuesday, a day after more than 400 people were injured in similar violence. • The students, who are demanding a change, have been met with resistance from the ruling party and its supporters. • The quota system has been criticized for benefiting children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive election in January. • The students, who are demanding a change, have been met with resistance from the ruling party and its supporters. • The violence erupted as students demanding a merit-based system for government jobs clashed with counter-protesters supporting the ruling Awami League party.