PC: hindustantimes
Bangladesh on Friday saw the country go into a complete lockdown and virtually cut off from the outside world as violent protests against job quotas left over 30 people dead and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina facing her worst domestic crisis in decades.
The protests by students have been growing for weeks after the high court in June restored a quota in highly sought-after government jobs for children of veterans of the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. Violence broke out in several cities across Bangladesh on Tuesday and the situation worsened when students called for a nationwide shutdown on Wednesday, a move supported by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
On Thursday, protesters clashed with pro-government student groups and police in Dhaka and several other places, as videos emerged purportedly showing police vehicles running over protesters in the capital city. While six people were killed earlier this week, Thursday's violence reportedly took the lives of over 20 people.
With major English newspapers like the Daily Star and the Dhaka Tribune and even the websites of the foreign affairs and home ministries inaccessible, it has been difficult for the outside world to get reliable information about developments in Bangladesh, especially since the government has cut off mobile internet and telecommunication services. Mobile phones and WhatsApp numbers in Bangladesh, which could be accessed till Thursday, remained inaccessible on Friday.
Although Prime Minister Hasina's government abolished the job quota for children of freedom fighters who took part in the 1971 war in October 2018, the High Court reinstated it in June this year. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear petitions challenging the High Court's decision on August 7, but will now hear the case on Sunday after an urgent appeal by the government on Thursday.
Hasina, who began an unprecedented fifth term as prime minister in January after winning a record fourth straight victory in the general elections, has long been accused of giving undue advantages to supporters and activists of her Awami League party in almost every wing of the government. Critics of the job quota, which reserves over 50% of government jobs, have alleged that there is no verifiable list of 1971 war veterans and that the measure will largely benefit Awami League activists.
As in many other South Asian countries struggling to create new employment opportunities, government jobs in Bangladesh are highly valued because of the salaries and other benefits they offer. Protesters have argued that jobs should be given on the basis of merit and not reservation, which is seen as discriminatory.
Hasina, who is also battling allegations of growing authoritarian leanings in her government, has been blamed by some circles for sparking the latest round of violent protests over her comments on job quotas during a news conference on Sunday.
When asked by a journalist about his opposition to the quota, the PM responded by asking whether the jobs should be reserved for children of freedom fighters or not. "Razakars" for , which is a derogatory term used in Bangladesh to refer to those who collaborated with Pakistan before and during the 1971 war. Some of the students taking part in the protests have called themselves “Razakars”, reflecting the depth of their anger against the government.
India, which has invested billions of dollars in Bangladesh over the past decade to establish physical, trade and energy connectivity mainly aimed at boosting economic ties between the northeastern and eastern regions and the neighbouring country, has already issued advisories to its citizens in Bangladesh to avoid travel and stay indoors. New Delhi is keeping a close watch on the volatile situation to ensure the welfare of nearly 10,000 Indians, including about 7,000 students, living in Bangladesh.
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