Clashes Over Government Jobs Quota In Bangladesh: Six Killed And Several Injured

Bangladesh is currently witnessing protests by students against a quota system for government jobs. Multiple reports indicate that six people were killed as the protests turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the governing Awami League party. More than 100 students were injured in the clashes. 

According to a BBC report, several cities in the South Asian nation, including the capital Dhaka, have been rocked by protests. University students have been conducting rallies, demanding an end to the 30% quota reserved in public sector jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. Protesters said that the quota system is discriminatory, and they demand recruitment based on merit. The student groups reportedly attacked each other with sticks and bricks, and the police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the groups. 

In 2018, Bangladesh abolished the quota system amid severe protests. However, the High Court recently ordered the reinstatement of the quota for children of freedom fighters, and this triggered the protests. Notably, the Supreme Court suspended this order for four weeks, but the protests continued. In Bangladesh, 44% of government jobs are merit-based, and the remaining 56% are reserved for various quotas. Amid the violent clashes, the Bangladesh government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has deployed paramilitary troops across several districts in the country.