At least 39 people have died in Bangladesh’s anti-quota protests that erupted on July 1. This is not the first wave of protests seeking to end quotas in Bangladesh government jobs. University students took to the streets in 2018 and again in 2019, leading Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to scrap quotas for the children of Bangladesh’s Liberation War veterans. However, six months into her fourth term, protests have reignited, and this time, Hasina has adopted a much harsher approach, labeling the protesters as “Razakars,” a term historically associated with those who sided with Pakistan during the 1971 war for independence. This inflammatory language has further galvanized the protesters, who are now openly challenging Hasina’s authority.
The current protests are rooted in a deeply entrenched hiring system established in 1972, which reserves 30% of government jobs for descendants of war veterans. This is just one part of a larger quota system that currently reserves 56% of government jobs, including quotas for women, minorities, and people with disabilities. The recent protests were triggered by a high court order in June that restored the job quota for war veterans, leading to widespread outrage among young people struggling to find employment. The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the order, but protesters are demanding a permanent end to the quota system and a merit-based hiring system.
The situation is exacerbated by Bangladesh’s increasingly challenging economic landscape. The country’s GDP growth has slowed significantly, and foreign reserves have plummeted, partly due to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Rising inflation and corruption scandals have further eroded public trust in the government.
Bangladesh’s economic woes are compounded by its mounting debt burden, largely attributed to infrastructure projects financed by Chinese loans. While these projects have aimed to boost economic growth, they have also burdened the nation with substantial repayment obligations, raising concerns about sustainability.
Hasina’s recent visit to China, aimed at securing financial support and debt relief, proved largely unsuccessful. Her return home a day early amid reports of her disappointment with the Chinese leadership further highlights the economic challenges facing Bangladesh.
The combination of high unemployment, a struggling economy, and a heavy debt burden has created a powder keg in Bangladesh. The anti-quota protests are a symptom of a deeper crisis of governance and economic inequality that the government has failed to address. As long as these underlying issues remain unresolved, the protests are likely to continue, posing a significant challenge to Hasina’s government.
