ANI
New Delhi: Bangladesh Supreme Court on Sunday reduced but did not completely abolish the contentious civil service hiring quotas that led to deadly clashes between police and university students, resulting in 151 fatalities. The protests, initially against politically influenced admission quotas for coveted government jobs, escalated into significant unrest during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure.
With riot police unable to restore order, soldiers now patrol cities across Bangladesh. A nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has severely limited information flow. Originally scheduled for next month, the Supreme Court expedited its decision on the quota scheme due to escalating civil unrest. The court ruled the lower bench's order to reintroduce the scheme as "illegal," according to Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin.
The ruling reduced reserved jobs from 56 per cent to 7 per cent, though it did not meet all protester demands. Specifically, 5 per cent of government jobs were reserved for children of "freedom fighters" from Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war, down from 30 per cent. Additionally, 1 per cent was reserved for tribal communities and another 1 per cent for people with disabilities or identifying as third gender. The remaining 93 per cent of positions would be merit-based.
Young graduates criticized the "freedom fighter" category, alleging it allowed Prime Minister Hasina's Awami League to stack public jobs with loyalists. Protesters called for the complete abolition of this and other quotas for women and specific districts.
Opponents accuse Hasina's government of influencing the judiciary, with Hasina suggesting a court ruling favorable to student demands. Despite winning her fourth consecutive election in January, her government faces accusations of misusing state institutions to maintain power and suppress dissent, including extrajudicial killings of opposition activists.
The court's decision has yet to quell public anger. "It's not about the rights of the students anymore," said Hasibul Sheikh, a business owner protesting in Dhaka. "Our demand is one point now, and that's the resignation of the government."
With 18 million young people in Bangladesh unemployed, the reintroduction of the quota scheme exacerbated tensions among graduates. Hasina worsened the situation by comparing protesters to those who collaborated with Pakistan during the independence war. "Rather than try to address the protesters' grievances, the government's actions have made the situation worse," said Pierre Prakash, Crisis Group's Asia director.
Since Tuesday, clashes have resulted in at least 151 deaths, including several police officers. Authorities have arrested members of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Students Against Discrimination, the main protest group. The curfew, imposed on Saturday, continues indefinitely, according to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, who blamed the BNP and the Islamist party Jamaat for inciting violence.
The US State Department warned against travel to Bangladesh and announced plans to remove some diplomats and their families due to the unrest.
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