Thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks have clashed with armed police in Dhaka as the Bangladesh authorities cut some mobile internet services to quell anti-quota protests that have killed at least 16 people this week. Why are students demonstrating against these quotas?

Dhaka

At least 16 people have died and hundreds have been injured during clashes in Bangladesh. Riot police confronted students demanding reforms to the country's quota system, which regulates the distribution of government jobs. The unrest began after the High Court reinstated the quota system that reserves 30% of government jobs for families of those who fought in the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan, overturning a 2018 decision to abolish it.

The government appealed against the High Court's decision, and Bangladesh's top court has suspended the reinstated system. A challenge to this suspension is scheduled to be heard soon. The quota system was introduced in 1972, and before its abolition in 2018, it reserved over half of government jobs for specific categories, including families of freedom fighters, indigenous communities, and the disabled. 

The protesting students are calling for the abolition of all quota categories except those allocated for indigenous communities and the disabled. They argue that the quotas favor supporters of the Awami League who led the independence movement. Experts attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs highly coveted, and the quotas limit the number of these jobs available on the basis of merit. This issue is exacerbated by high youth unemployment, with nearly 32 million young people in Bangladesh out of work or education.



Students clash with police during anti-quota protests in Bangladesh

At least 16 people have died and hundreds have been injured during clashes in Bangladesh. On Thursday, riot police battled with students who demanded reforms to a quota system that controls the distribution of government jobs. But why is this all happening? The demonstration started last month after the High Court reinstated the quota system, which sets aside 30% of government jobs for families of those who fought in the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan. The move overturned a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to scrap it. On the government's appeal, Bangladesh's top court has suspended the reinstated system and is set to hear a challenge against it on August 7th. Bangladesh's quota system was introduced in 1972 and by the time it was abolished in 2018, over half of government jobs were reserved for specific groups. The bulk covered categories such as freedom fighters' families, with 5% allotted to indigenous communities and 1% for the disabled. The protesting students want all categories abolished except the last two. Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement. And protesters say the 30% quota favours Awami League supporters who led the freedom fight. Experts also attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, which makes public sector jobs very attractive. And the quotas shrink the number of government jobs open for all, hurting aspirants who want them filled on the basis of merit. That's as students also grapple with high youth unemployment, as nearly 32 million young people out of a population of 170 million are out of work or education.

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