Bangladesh is coming under increasing pressure for its brutal student crackdown
After numerous images and videos of police, army, and paramilitary forces firing directly at protestors appeared on social media over the past week, pressure from around the world is growing on Bangladesh to stop its harsh crackdown on the students.The Dhaka government has been urged to lighten off on the students, who have been seeking an end to government job quotas that would limit their employment possibilities, by the United Nations, the European Union, and Amnesty International, among others.
Since the quotas were reinstated on July 1st by a High Court order, university faculty have joined the protests, and observers claim that the students are receiving widespread backing from the general public.
The quota system stipulated that the grandchildren of those who fought against Pakistan in Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War would be entitled to 30% of civil service positions, which are thought to be the most stable career option for young Bangladeshis in a nation with significant unemployment.The students are calling for a merit-based hiring process. But once police opened fire on unarmed students with tear gas, pellet guns, and bullets, the peaceful protest descended into violence.Police and hospital records indicate that during July 16 and 22, about 200 persons lost their lives as a result of the violence. Many deaths go unreported because the bodies never make it to the police and hospital facilities. Unofficial estimates place the number of fatalities between 300 and 500.
Since taking government in 2009, Hasina has been under fire for alleged corruption and authoritarianism. The last three general elections have been suspected of being rigged, an accusation that her party refutes.A major demand of the demonstrators was met on July 21 when the Supreme Court struck down the majority of the quotas and said that 93% of government jobs would now be available to candidates based just on merit.
The unrest was prompted by the campaign against job quotas by Students Against Discrimination [SAD] activists, who announced that they would continue protesting until their demands were met.According to a statement issued by SAD on Monday, four ministers—including those from the home and law ministries—need to be removed from the Cabinet. They also demanded that the police and "goons" from the current government who opened fire on the students be arrested and prosecuted for "murdering" helpless protestors.
Consequently, student leaders and opposition political activists were being detained by the authorities.
The reported widespread detention of thousands of students and members of the political opposition has drawn attention, according to Guterres, the Secretary- on Monday. According to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Guterres expressed "deep concern about the situation in Bangladesh."
The "sense of disengagement among people, both economic and political," according to political analyst and Illinois State University political science professor Ali Riaz, is the root cause of the unrest."While many people are in extremely difficult financial situations, those associated with the regime are stealing and diverting funds to other nations.
" In terms of politics, they have had no opportunity to engage in politics due to three fraudulent elections in a row, Riaz told VOA.
"The movement has changed as a result of this eruption of these discontents.”
