Bangladesh Universities Shut Down Amid Violent Protests Over Government Job Quotas
In a shocking turn of events, universities and educational institutions across Bangladesh were shut down on Wednesday after violent protests on Tuesday left six people dead and over 100 injured. The protests, which began last month, are centered around the allocation of government jobs and the quota system that favors relatives of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
The violence erupted on Tuesday, July 16, when student protesters clashed with pro-government student activists and police at Dhaka University, which was at the center of the violence. The university suspended classes immediately, and the government later asked all other universities to shut down by Wednesday.
The University Grants Commission said the measure was necessary to protect students, while authorities confirmed that at least six people were killed in the violent demonstrations. The violence spread overnight to other parts of the country, including the southeastern city of Chattogram and the northern city of Rangpur.
The Police establishment in Dhaka raided the headquarters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on suspicion that the party played a part in the violence, arresting seven members of the party’s student wing in connection with two buses that were torched during the riot.
The protests, which started last month, are demanding an end to the quota system that reserves 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans. The system, which was temporarily halted in 2018 after a court order, was reinstated last month by Bangladesh’s High Court, angering students who face high youth unemployment rates.
Protesters argue that the quota system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the country’s independence movement. Many students in Bangladesh prefer government jobs because they are considered more stable and offer higher pay than private sector jobs.
The situation in Bangladesh remains tense, with universities and educational institutions remaining shut down until further notice. The government has yet to comment on the future of the quota system, but it is clear that the protests will continue until the system is reformed.
