It has been months since the youth of Bangladesh has been protesting constantly over the Quota system and policy of the Bangladesh government. Moreover, not only has it led to a social unrest but has resulted in a great revolt against the mechanism and the administration. The outbreak of the same has also gainsd a global geopolitical attention over the same.
History of the Discrimination
Majorly there used to be a huge discrimination between East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Whether it be industrial development or political counting and voters taking stand for Mujibur Rahman. The following also led to the Civil Disobedience Movement in what is now called Bangladesh. Before the Liberation War, lakhs of citizens in at present Bangladesh had to take refuge and India also helped them win the war.
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Quota system of Bangladesh
A total number of 56% reservation is there in Bangladesh basically which has been divided as follows, 30% for descendants of freedom fighters, 10% for women, 10% District Quota for Backward Villages, 5% for ethnic minorities and 1% for people with physical disabilities. The protests have been against the major quota system itself, and demand a total merit based recruitment. They urged as to why the third generation of freedom fighters need reservation.
Freedom Fighters Quota – Major problem
This Quota was implemented in 1972 by Hasina’s father, but at that time it was just for the freedom fighters, but later on it was extended to their children and even their grandchildren later. Government, itself takes the opportunity to decide who is a freedom fighter and who is not, but this has been leading to a lot of corruption.
In October 2018, Hasina had agreed to abolish all kinds of reservations amid the protests back then. However, in June 2024, the apex court of Bangladesh nullified this decision after a lot of petitions were filed in the country.
Sheikh Hasina Resigns as PM
The conflict remains between the government. Hasina’s remarks on protestors as terrorists have stirred the conflict to a greater extent. The PM has now resigned and fled the country. She landed at the Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad in India and was waiting for asylum to be granted from London.
