Protests in Bangladesh come to an end following prime minister’s resignation
More than 1,000 people were killed and more than 33,000 were injured in the last month including protestors, students, and children.
On August 5, Sheikh Hasina, the now-resigned prime minister of Bangladesh, fled to India after weeks of protests led by a student-led movement.
Bangladeshi students led the protests against Hasina’s government which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people in the last month, according to the country’s interim health ministry chief—the nation’s bloodiest period since its independence in 1971. The death toll includes protestors, journalists, students, bystanders, police, and children.
Among the deaths, over 400 students have lost their eyesight and many endured leg injuries and amputations.
Violence broke out during a student-led movement against quotas for public sector jobs, which escalated into a full-blown revolt against Hasina. Hasina’s residence was quickly stormed by hundreds of protestors after her resignation, ending her 15-year ruling.
Tensions peaked when the quota system announced it would reserve nearly 30 per cent of sought-after civil service jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in the country’s war of independence from Pakistan in 1971. Students and young people did not support this ruling since the roles are linked to job security and higher pay.
On July 1, students launched protests calling for the end of job quotas. By mid-July, the government shut down universities and cut internet access in an attempt to conceal the nationwide protests.
On July 21, the Supreme Court reversed its ruling and cut down job quotas from 56 per cent to a total of seven per cent, with two percent reserved for ethnic minorities.
According to Amnesty International, since the protests, more than 10,000 protestors have been arrested while Shohid.info, an online database which collects information on the movement, reported more than 33,000 injured and more than 11,00 arrested and disappeared.
A Gen Z revolution
Despite curfews, internet shutdowns, and the presence of security forces, young people—outraged by the killings of their peers and bleak job opportunities—remained committed to their movement.
Sabrina Karim, an associate professor of government at Cornell University, said to CNN World, “This might very well be the first successful Gen Z led revolution.”
Looking Forward
In the wake of the Prime Minister’s self-exile, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and economist Muhammed Yunus was named interim leader by a representative of Bangladesh’s figurehead, President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
Since being sworn in, Yunus stated that he seeks to restore peace and order, combat corruption, and prepare for the nation’s elections. His cabinet, which consists of two former student leaders who spearheaded the protests, will be working to reform the country’s institutions.
On September 5, thousands of students gathered in Dhaka to join the “March for Martyrs” to mark the one-month anniversary of Hasina’s resignation.
