Bangladesh Anti-Reservation Protests

The anti-reservation protests in Bangladesh, headed visibly by sections of students opposed to Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, went out of control and the government initially imposed a ban on internet service to contain the movement. Later on, curbs were introduced on movement of rail and other modes of transportation and finally, the government brought in the Army after promulgating total curfew. The stoppage of internet services has come in the way of getting the latest news from across the border. From Tuesday night, the Bangladesh government reportedly decided to bring back net services.

In fact, the Sheikh Hasina government introduced reforms in the job quota system in 2018 and then virtually suspended the same.The fresh controversy erupted after restoration of the quota system due to a ruling last month by the High Court. Hasina government moved an appeal before the Supreme Court against the said HC judgement. But before the pronouncement from the Supreme Court on the appeal, a fresh agitation started and newer demands were raised.

There is no doubt that the Hasina government and the ruling Awami League leadership struggling to find an administrative and political solution. Their greatest fault lay in making students of college and universities their adversaries. The government and the ruling party should have anticipated that it was not impossible to find mature brains behind the agitators.

A positive aspect of the reality in Bangladesh is that due to the liberation warriors’ quota, the minority communities had the opportunity to avail of the benefits of reservation in government employment, though in a circuitous way. In the event of abolition of that quota, the religious minorities in that country stand to lose even the small opportunity of getting government jobs.

One hopes the ruling party and its government will, sooner than later, adopt measures to set the course in the right direction to put Bangladesh amongst the comity of nations as a country with equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, irrespective of creed or faith and free from dogmas of any nature.