BTN News: Bangladesh had a day of mourning on Tuesday to honor the more than 200 people who died recently in violent protests. These protests were started by students who were upset about the government’s quota system for public jobs. This system gave 30% of government jobs to the relatives of war veterans and those raped during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan. The students wanted this system to change because they thought it was unfair.
At first, the student protests were peaceful. However, things turned violent on July 15 when members of the ruling party’s student group attacked the demonstrators. The police used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to control the violence. These protests were the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she started her fourth term in January. This term began after an election that the main opposition parties boycotted, accusing the government of unfair practices.
On Tuesday, high-ranking government officials wore black badges to show their respect for those who had died. The country slowly started returning to normal, and the strict curfew was relaxed. The authorities asked all religious places like mosques and temples to hold special prayers for the dead on the day of mourning.
The Interior Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, said that 150 people had died. However, the main Bengali newspaper, Prothom Alo, reported that 211 people had died since July 16. Thousands more were injured during the unrest, highlighting the severe impact of the violence.
Reports in the media said that around 10,000 people had been arrested in the last two weeks because of the riots, protests, and attacks on state property. Human rights groups have called for an end to these arrests, saying that they are not fair. Critics have also accused the government of using too much force to stop the protests.
Despite these criticisms, the government has defended its actions. They said that the arrests were made for specific reasons. The protesters argued that the 30% job quota was unfair and mainly helped the supporters of Hasina’s Awami League, which led the independence movement. They wanted the quota system to be replaced with a system based on merit.
A significant change happened on July 21 when the Supreme Court ordered that the veteran quota be reduced to 5%. They said that 93% of government jobs should be given based on merit, and the remaining 2% should go to ethnic minorities, transgender people, and those with disabilities. The government agreed to this ruling two days later and promised to follow the new system.
The recent troubles in Bangladesh show the deep political and social issues in the country. What started as a call for fair job allocation has highlighted bigger problems like government favoritism and the fight for democratic rights. As Bangladesh looks to the future, solving these protests and putting in place a fair job system will be crucial for the country’s stability. It will also help rebuild trust between the people and the government.
The day of mourning was a sad reminder of the high cost of political and social unrest. Now, Bangladesh must deal with the root causes of the violence to ensure future generations can seek justice and fairness peacefully. As the nation remembers those who lost their lives, there is hope for a more fair and peaceful Bangladesh.
