By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Bangladesh is currently experiencing severe unrest.
While street protests are a common occurrence in this South Asian country of 170 million, the scale of the demonstrations over the past week has been described as the most intense in recent memory.
Over 100 people have lost their lives in the violence, with more than 50 killed on Friday alone. In response, the government has implemented a drastic communications blackout, including internet shutdowns and phone service restrictions.
What began as peaceful campus protests has escalated into nationwide turmoil. Thousands of university students have been protesting for weeks against a quota system for government jobs, which allocates a third of these positions to the relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. The students argue that this system is discriminatory and call for merit based recruitment instead.
Protest organizers claim that police and the student wing of the ruling Awami League, known as the Bangladesh Chhatra League, have responded with excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, sparking widespread outrage. The government, however, denies these allegations.
Bangladesh Faces Unprecedented Unrest Amidst Economic Growth and Corruption Allegations
Bangladesh is grappling with unprecedented turmoil, with recent protests escalating into some of the most intense demonstrations in recent history. According to Dr. Samina Luthfa, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Dhaka, the protests have expanded beyond students to encompass a broad cross section of society.
The unrest began as university students protested against a quota system for government jobs, which reserves a third of public sector positions for relatives of war veterans from the country's 1971 independence conflict. The students argue that this system is discriminatory and advocate for merit based recruitment. However, the demonstrations have intensified, with over 100 deaths reported and a government imposed communications blackout including internet and phone service restrictions.
Despite being one of the fastest growing economies globally, Bangladesh faces a significant job crisis. Around 18 million young Bangladeshis are seeking employment, and university graduates experience higher unemployment rates compared to their less educated counterparts. While Bangladesh’s ready to wear clothing sector, a major export industry, employs over four million people, it is insufficient for the aspirations of the younger generation.
Under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15 year leadership, the country has seen considerable infrastructure development, including roads, bridges, and a metro rail in Dhaka. Per capita income has tripled over the past decade, and the World Bank estimates that more than 25 million people have been lifted out of poverty. However, there are growing concerns that this economic growth has disproportionately benefited those close to the ruling Awami League party.
Dr. Luthfa highlights ongoing corruption, particularly among those allied with the ruling party, as a major issue. Recent social media discussions have focused on corruption allegations against several top officials, including a former army chief and a former police chief. Prime Minister Hasina has acknowledged corruption as a longstanding issue but has recently claimed to take action against it, citing an instance where a household assistant allegedly amassed $34 million. This claim has been met with skepticism, as critics argue that such wealth likely results from corruption or bribery.
Additionally, allegations of shrinking democratic space have surfaced. Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, asserts that the past three elections have lacked credibility and fairness. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the 2014 and 2024 elections, arguing that free and fair elections are impossible under the current administration. Rights groups also report over 80 enforced disappearances of government critics in the past 15 years.
Amid these issues, the government is accused of stifling dissent and media freedom, contributing to perceptions of increasing autocracy under Sheikh Hasina. However, government ministers argue that the administration has exercised significant restraint in dealing with protests, which they claim have been infiltrated by opposition and Islamist groups. Law Minister Anisul Huq has stated that the government is willing to discuss reasonable demands from protesters.
As the student protests become one of the most significant challenges faced by Sheikh Hasina since she took office in January 2009, the resolution of the current unrest will depend on how effectively she addresses both the immediate grievances of the protesters and the broader issues of corruption and democratic integrity.
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