(Photo: Internet)
In Bangladesh, student protests came to fruition, the army took control of the country. People came out on the streets to celebrate. Prime Minister Hasina Wajid has resigned and flown to India, while Bangladeshi student leaders have demanded a caretaker government headed by Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Younis. The Bangladeshi president has dissolved the assembly on the demand of student leaders.
The recent student protest movement in Bangladesh has had a profound impact on the country’s political and social landscape. This movement has raised deep questions on the education system and government policies of Bangladesh. “Tum kon hum kon, Rezakar Rezakar” This slogan was a symbol of resistance in the student movement that overthrew the Hasina Wajid government in Bangladesh.
The slogan was adopted by the students when Hasina Wajid mocked critics of the quota system, saying, “If the grandchildren of freedom fighters are not given quota in government jobs, what about the volunteers?” will be given to the grandchildren of Bangladeshi students chanted this slogan, a taunt to “volunteer” Hasina Wajid, during the protests. It was also considered a national taunt to the opponents of the Hasina government and establishment, but today this same political slogan has relieved Hasina Wajid.
Government jobs in Bangladesh are highly valued for their good pay, but about half of the jobs, numbering in the millions, are reserved for certain groups. One-third of government jobs are reserved for the families of people who are considered “liberation war heroes” in Bangladesh. Critics say that the main cause of rising inflation and poverty in the country was the mismanagement of Hasina Wajid’s government.
They claim that the country’s economic success in the past has benefited only those who were part of the Awami League. During this time, human rights violations continued to occur in the country and the quality of democracy declined. They accuse Sheikh Hasina of adopting an authoritarian style of governance and say that the former Bangladeshi prime minister imposed restrictions on her political opponents and the media. In recent months, senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and thousands of political activists have been arrested amid anti-government protests.
Sheikh Hasina’s critics see her as a dictator, under whom thousands of opposition leaders and activists were arrested before the last election in January. After that, she became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the fourth time in a row by winning these elections. International human rights groups accused him of suppressing the opposition.
In fact, the main cause of social inequality is class discrimination. The quota system is ostensibly to promote equality but it actually deepens class inequality as the dominant and influential classes, generally those in power (people associated with the Awami League) use their economic and political influence to recommend And they used to take advantage of this system by bribery etc., so this system is not a reasonable solution to the problems. On the contrary, it is used to divide the working class.
It gives temporary relief to some members of the deprived classes, but in a class society the people who benefit most are often not from deprived backgrounds. Due to these reasons, under the pressure of the youth, the government canceled the 30% quota for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters in 2018, but on June 5, 2024, the High Court restored it. After which the recent movement started. The demand of the students involved in this movement was to abolish the prevailing quota system. Minorities and persons with disabilities should be given a fair share of jobs on a transparent basis, while a new quota system should be introduced through Parliament with reserved seats not exceeding five percent.
The protest movement has highlighted how hollow and fake Bangladesh’s so-called development is, and the unrest among the youth there points to a larger social problem. The problem is not limited to the quota system but is linked to wider issues of education, employment and social justice.
About 65 percent of Bangladesh’s population consists of children and youth under the age of 35, many of whom are struggling for better opportunities and equal rights. According to the University Grants Commission, more than 500,000 students graduate in Bangladesh every year, out of which only 10% get suitable jobs. While according to the country’s Institute for Development Studies, 66 percent of graduates remain unemployed. These figures indicate that massive measures are needed to provide employment in the country.
When an emotion, positive or negative, goes beyond limits, man himself becomes its fuel. According to the media of Bangladesh, Hasina Wajid was extremely flattering and did not like to mention anyone except her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose statues were made and installed in important places all over the country. Now people are demolishing every symbol of Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Mujib. His house in Dhanmandi Dhaka was converted into a Mujeeb museum, also set on fire by angry youths. In this house, Sheikh Mujib and his entire family were shot dead by young Bangladeshi army officers. Hasina Wajid hunted down these army officers from near and far during her rule and hanged them on the gallows.
On the other hand, Dr. Muhammad Younis said in his statement that Sheikh Hasina Wajid had destroyed the legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh is now free. The President of Bangladesh has ordered the release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from jail. According to Indian media, the resigned Prime Minister of Bangladesh has requested political asylum from the United Kingdom, while his sister Sheikh Rehana already has British citizenship, both sisters are currently in India. Best in Asia, even ahead of India.
Bangladesh is perhaps the only country in South Asia where no child misses out on primary schooling, meaning Bangladesh has achieved universal primary enrollment. Prime Minister Hasina Wajid’s government has paid special attention to infrastructure in the country. Due to this development in the social and economic sector, Bangladesh’s national income, foreign exchange reserves and exports increased. Exports increased from $15 billion to $40 billion during this period. Due to this performance, poverty in Bangladesh also decreased.
For political stability and sustainability, not only social and economic development and increase in national wealth are important. More important than progress in these areas is how the government treats the people, especially those with dissenting opinions. Despite the appreciable development in Bangladesh and commendable progress in the areas of public welfare, if there was public unrest against the government of Prime Minister Hasina Wajid, it is because the government suppressed dissent. Strict measures were taken.
Opposition circles complained that the government not only used the police indiscriminately to suppress their activities, but Awami League workers were also given free rein to carry out operations against opposing political factions. The end of Hasina Wajid government is a big upset for India, India has lost another key ally in South Asia, Maldives is also out of Indian control. Anyway, how does the next set up in Bangladesh? It will be known.
