Bangladesh Unrest Reopens Old Wounds

Since June, protests have occurred throughout Bangladesh in response to a decision by the country's High Court that reversed a 2018 ruling canceling the quota system for freedom fighters and their descendants, reinvigorating societal divides that stem from the 1971 Liberation War. The decision caused university students and other people who would be most affected by the ruling to protest and stage sit-ins that shut down major roads and railways and forced the closure of universities throughout the country. In mid-July, however, the protests shifted to riots in cities throughout Bangladesh..Quota System and High Court's Decision.On June 5th, Bangladesh's High Court issued a ruling that annulled the 2018 decision that removed the segment of the quota system that set aside 30 percent of government jobs for freedom fighters who participated in the 1971 Liberation War and their descendants. The quota system, instituted in November 1972 through an executive order, created a quota system that set aside defense, government, semi-government, and nationalized jobs for 30 percent of freedom fighters and 10 percent of women. The system allowed for approximately 56 percent of government jobs to be reserved to fulfill various quotas. A breakdown of the quotas showed that 30 percent of jobs were for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren, 10 percent each for women and for people from underdeveloped districts, five percent for members of indigenous communities, and one percent for physically disabled people..The Bangladeshi government created a committee in June 2018 that consisted of seven government officials and was headed by the then Cabinet Secretary to reform the quota system. The government formed the committee in response to students' and unemployed individuals' demonstrations that sought reforms for the quota system. The Public Administration Ministry issued a statement canceling the quota process to allow 1st class and 2nd class, now known as 9th through 13th grades, government jobs to be reserved for freedom fighters, their families, and their descendants and replaced with a merit-based list. However, individuals filed a writ petition that challenged the government's decision to remove the freedom fighters' section of the quota system. The High Court ruled in December 2021, asking the government to provide an explanation "why the circular should not be declared illegal.".In the days after the High Court's decision, the Appellate Court upheld the June 5th ruling and said that a full bench hearing would be held on July 4th. However, the six-judge panel did not hear the court but advised the government to "file a regular petition seeking permission to appeal against the High Court verdict." The Attorney General said that the High Court did not release the full text of the ruling, so they could not file a regular petition. The panel's chief justice then stayed the June 5th ruling until the court could publish its ruling on the quota system. On July 10th, the court issued a four-week "status quo order" that prevented the government from reimplementing the quota system. The High Court then released the full text that outlined its decision on July 14th, with the Attorney General filing a regular petition to hear the case. The Appellate Court said they will hear the government's appeal to cancel the June 5th ruling on July 21st. However, the Court will also hear two related petitions to seek a stay of the High Court's June ruling and one seeking to reform the quota system..Protests and Riots.After the High Court reversed the 2018 decision in June, university students and unemployed individuals held protests to voice their opposition and force the government to fix the issue. The protests initially occurred in different parts of Dhaka University, such as the Central Library and the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial, and involved hundreds of students. However, the protests spread to other universities across the country, such as Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, and Jagannath University, in the days after the court announcement. The student protesters blocked roadways leading to the capital, Dhaka, starting on June 9th to pressure the government to prevent the freedom fighter quota from going back into effect..On July 10th, the student groups decided to begin nationwide blockades of the roadways and railways throughout the country to further pressure the government to reform the quota system. The blockades caused severe disruptions to rail and road traffic in cities such as Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar. However, the protests further escalated on July 14th, when the student movement issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the government to take concrete actions towards reforming the quota system and withdraw the legal case against the protesters..Nahid Islam, one of the movement's coordinators, announced the ultimatum during a speech at one of the blocked intersections in Dhaka. Islam urged the "President to take steps to raise the issue of our one-step demand in parliament" and for "him to play a role in passing a law and call an emergency session in the national parliament." He also said that parliament "can convene a session and take effective measures to pass the law," and they would want "to see visible actions within the next 24 hours from the government side." However, Islam advised the government not to "force us to cause public suffering.".The Bangladeshi Prime Minister (PM), Sheikh Hasina, said during a press conference on July 14th that the government cannot act on the issue until the court issues "a solution." Hasina said the executive "has nothing to do right now when the higher court or the court passes a judgment," and "the issue will have to be solved at the court." Hasina also said that the movement's leaders are not adhering to laws; they "do not respect the court, do not understand the Constitution, or comprehend governmental operations." She also noted that the protesters had opportunities to present their arguments in a legal setting but chose to resolve the matter through street protests. Hasina also called the protesters and other members of the movement razakars, in reference to the former militia group created by Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War responsible for various atrocities..The Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, said that the criminal case filed against the protesters could be dismissed if it was "found to lack merit." Khan made the remarks as he addressed reporters during an event at Shilpakala Academy in response to the protesters' ultimatum. The case was filed over allegations that the protesters attacked police officers and vandalized police vehicles during an earlier protest. He said an investigation will be conducted to determine "who instigated the students and who is responsible for the unrest." However, Khan's comments come after other remarks he made on July 11th that the protesters "are crossing the line" to security forces' limits. The minister also pointed to the pending Supreme Court case to rule over the quota system. During this time, several university students also protested, calling for the government to investigate and charge security forces with police brutality. The allegations of brutality occurred during the nationwide "Bangla Blockade," the movement that started on July 7th..On July 15th, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mohammad Habibur Rahman issued a warning to both sides during a press conference. Rahman issued the warning during a press conference where he outlined the Ashura and Tajia procession at the Hussaini Dalan Imambari, located in the Old Dhaka section. However, members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) clashed with protesters at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, and other universities in Dhaka. The BCL said they were defending students who did not want to join the anti-freedom fighter protests at the universities. The clashes resulted in around 260 casualties among the protesters, but there was no word regarding casualties among the BCL members. The number of casualties, however, cannot be verified due to the fluid situation and the significant amount of misinformation regarding the clashes..On July 16th, clashes between the BCL and protesters extended to other universities across Bangladesh and resulted in a number of deaths and injuries among BCL members, protesters, and security forces. However, the anti-quota movement said they would continue to block various roadways and railways and stage protests at universities. Beginning on July 17th, members of the opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and other political parties joined the funerals of protesters killed in previous days. Reports indicate that clashes occurred between the BNP activists, members, and local security forces during the funerals. BNP members joined the anti-quota protests and clashed with BCL members and activists from the Awami League. Several prominent members of Bangladesh's entertainment industry voiced their support for the anti-quota protest..Protests intensified on July 18th, with several violent clashes occurring between pro- and anti-quota protesters, their supporters, and Bangladeshi security forces. Local authorities said that the protests caused significant property damage, including the destruction of buildings and TV stations. The Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, announced that the government suspended Internet services in the country to prevent "rumors" from spreading and to stabilize the situation. Several universities, such as Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, and other colleges, canceled classes and shut down their campuses. The shutdowns came in response to the protesters conducting sit-ins and urging faculty and students to leave the campuses. Local authorities in eight cities also closed all primary schools until the situation stabilized. The DMP said that they arrested several BCL members and other individuals for processing and stockpiling bombs, swords, and other weapons..The PM addressed the country on July 17th, where she announced the government would launch a judicial inquiry "to ensure a fair and just trial in the recent unwanted incidents, including killings." Hasina said that the government will also take steps to ensure that individuals who commit criminal acts will receive punishment. During her speech, she also said she had "grave concern" for the safety of the student protesters. Hasina said that "these terrorists can create an environment of conflict at any time and harm them." However, the PM also said the "safety of students in all educational institutions has to be specifically monitored" to ensure their safety as well. She also pointed out that the government appealed the High Court's decision to reinstate the freedom fighter quota system..On July 18th, Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain said a law could be passed in Parliament to meet the students' demand regarding reforming the quota system. The minister emphasized that the executive branch will work according to whatever decision the court passes down regarding the quota system. However, Hossain said that the Supreme Court's judgment or decision on the June ruling will be "considered as law." Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Advocate Anisul Huq said that the government will hold discussions with protesters to resolve the crisis and that the government agrees in principle that the quota system needs to be reformed. However, Huq said that the discussion "will be held whenever the agitating students agree to the site for talks.".The Liberation War's Continued Effect on Bangladeshi Society and Politics .The protests over the freedom fighter quota illustrate how the 1971 Liberation Army still has a profound effect on Bangladesh. The protests also show how both the BNP and the Awami League will use the protests to fulfill their own political objectives. The government instituted the freedom fighter quota to reward the individuals who participated and the women who suffered during the Liberation War. The quota system, however, evolved over time to include additional groups, such as disabled and indigenous groups, that reserved jobs for around 16 percent of the overall population. The increase compounded an already high percentage of reserved jobs set aside for the freedom fighters' families and descendants since it significantly increased the competition for the few available jobs not reserved. The unequal competition led to the 2018 protests, which forced the then-Awami League-led government to cancel the quota system for freedom fighters in favor of a merit-based list. However, the Awami League used the BCL, their student wing, in an attempt to suppress the protesters and prevent the demonstrations from gaining momentum. Hasina and the Awami League initially chose not to use the BCL to put down the 2024 protests but elected to do so after movement leaders threatened to increase blockades of railways and roadways..The BCL's heavy handiness points to the Awami League wanting to suppress the protests to prevent the movement from making additional demands. The demands would include economic reforms to create more job opportunities and allow for a more equitable hiring process for government jobs. The heavy handiness indicated that the government did not fully understand the 2024 protests' popularity and how they differed from the 2018 protests. The League also misinterpreted the movement's resolve in maintaining the protests despite the violent response from the BCL and the security forces. The government lacked insight into the students' demands, which colored the language they used to describe the protesters, the movement, and its response. The most notable example is the PM's use of the word razakars to describe the protesters. The word brings back memories of the 1971 Liberation War because it was the name of the militia employed by the Pakistani government to suppress the Bangladeshi independence movement. Hasina, calling the student protesters razakars, painted them as 'the other' in the quota reform dispute and sought to connect them to the anti-independence and anti-Bangla elements. Huq's comment on July 12th that the "ghosts of anti-independence elements are conspiring in the name of the quota reform movement" further reinforces this point..The economic impacts that an infinite blockade would have on Bangladesh's economy prompted the government to use the BCL to put down the protests. The country's economy loses a significant amount of money per day because of the ongoing blockades to transportation infrastructure and the associated fallout. The negative economic fallout from the protests also affects China's trade with the country because the blockades and unrest have largely paralyzed Bangladesh's transportation network. On July 18th, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, met with Foreign Affairs Minister Hasan Mahmud to discuss various issues and prepare for the upcoming visit by China's Special Envoy for Asian Affairs. Yao and Mahmud discussed the ongoing unrest and how it is affecting Bangladesh's economy and China's infrastructure throughout the country. While Yao said that the protests are an internal matter for Bangladesh to solve, China is likely closely watching for any signs of increased instability..The protest movement also shows how the two main political parties in Bangladesh, the BNP and the Alwami League, will use issues to increase their popularity. The Alwami League and the BNP are the two main political parties that have headed the government since Bangladesh's independence in 1971. Furthermore, the parties are also headed by two of the most significant political figures in modern Bangladeshi politics: Sheikh Hasina, leading the Alwami League, and Khaleda Zia, leading the BNP. Hasina and Zia are political rivals because of their respective leadership roles in Bangladeshi politics, and both hold the view that they solely represent post-independence Bangladesh. Both the BNP and the Alwami League alternatively held power and formed a government, with the latter becoming the opposition party..However, the BNP boycotted the elections in 2024 because of Hasina's refusal to hold the elections under a caretaker government and because of allegations of voter fraud. The BNP is voicing its support for quota reform and participating in student protests as a way to increase its popularity and influence among Bangladeshi youth. Furthermore, the political party also views the ongoing unrest as a way to prevent the Alami League from successfully reforming the quota system. This would allow the BNP to show that they want to work with university students and the unemployed to develop a more equitable quota system or create one that is based solely on merit. It would also show the movement that the BNP will work with them using political means instead of the forceful means the Awami League employed through the BCL.