Bangladesh's Supreme Court has ordered a significant reduction in the quotas for state jobs, cutting them from 56 percent to 7 percent. The quotas were previously reserved for various groups, including families of freedom fighters, women, and disadvantaged groups. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attributed the recent deadly violence during student-led protests against these quotas to her political opponents. She stated that the curfew, which was imposed to manage the situation, would be lifted once conditions improved.
This decision came after days of intense clashes between protesters and security forces, leading to the shutdown of internet services, the imposition of a curfew, and the deployment of the army. Hospital records indicated that at least 147 people were killed, marking one of the worst episodes of violence in recent years.
Hasina, who won her fourth consecutive term in January after the main opposition party boycotted the national election, emphasized that the curfew was necessary to protect lives and property. She blamed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami party for inciting the violence. Critics, including the BNP, have accused Hasina of authoritarianism and human rights violations, allegations that her government denies.
The Supreme Court ruling, which followed an appeal from the government, directed that 93 percent of government jobs should now be filled based on merit. The ruling is seen as a response to stagnant job growth in the private sector and high youth unemployment, making government jobs more desirable due to their benefits and job security.
Despite the curfew, the streets in Dhaka were calm on Monday. Protesters have issued new demands, including a public apology from Hasina, the restoration of internet connections, and the reopening of campuses. They also called for the resignation of certain ministers and university officials and the dismissal of police officers involved in the violence.
The government has arrested 516 people for their roles in the protests, with police reporting the deaths of three officers and injuries to over 1,000 more. The Home Minister expressed optimism that normalcy would return soon, and the government extended a public holiday to manage the situation.
Protesters have reported instances of leaders being detained and tortured, although police have denied these allegations. The violence and unrest come as Bangladesh grapples with economic challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine, which has strained the country's dollar reserves and fueled inflation, leading the government to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund.
