Bangladesh has been experiencing intense protests led by university students since July 1, 2024. The primary cause of these demonstrations is the government's quota system for hiring civil servants, which reserves nearly half of the positions for specific groups. One of these groups includes descendants of freedom fighters from Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971.
The protests escalated on July 18 when at least 25 people were reportedly killed and hundreds more injured during clashes between students, police, and supporters of the ruling Awami League party. The violence occurred as students attempted to enforce a nationwide shutdown by closing all establishments except hospitals and emergency services.
The protests began after the High Court reinstated a rule that reserved 56% of government jobs for specific groups. This includes children and grandchildren of freedom fighters, women, and people from backward districts. The students argue that this quota system unfairly benefits certain individuals at the expense of merit-based hiring.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to set up a judicial panel to investigate the deaths caused by police action during the protests. However, critics argue that her government's handling of the situation has been heavy-handed and biased towards maintaining order rather than addressing the underlying issues.
Bangladesh faces an acute job crisis for university graduates, with nearly 32 million people out of work or education in a population of 170 million. Poverty declined from 11.8% in 2010 to 5% in 2022 based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day, but unemployment remains high.
The protests have intensified since January when Sheikh Hasina won her fourth consecutive term in an election boycotted by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The Awami League party and its student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, have been accused of using violence to suppress dissent.
The protests have spread beyond Dhaka University to other universities and seminaries across the country. Every high school, university, and Islamic seminary was ordered closed indefinitely following weeks of escalating demonstrations against civil service hiring policies.
Rights groups, such as Amnesty International, as well as the United Nations and the United States have urged Bangladesh to protect peaceful protesters from violence. The protests are a significant challenge to Sheikh Hasina's government since her election in January.
