Bangladesh’s Supreme Court Abolishes Job Reservation Amid Fatal Protests

Bangladesh's Supreme Court scraps job quota system amid deadly protests. Over 100 killed in clashes. Ruling reduces quotas from 33% to 5% for war veterans' relatives. Protesters demand further reforms. Unrest spreads internationally. Economic concerns underlie tensions.

In Bangladesh, the Supreme Court has quashed the job quota system which had been a source of unrest across the nation whereby more than one hundred people lost their lives. The above decision means that the government employment quotas have been cut down to a mere 5% for children of those who fought in the 1971 independence war.

This decision has been made after days of vigorous demonstrations and confrontations with the police and armed forces where the capital Dhaka was placed under a state of siege. Law Minister Anisul Huq told the parliament that the government would implement this ruling in the next days, however, some student leaders said they would continue their protest.

Looting and burning of government facilities have been carried out under the pretext of seeking justice for the deceased, freedom for activists in detention, reconnection of the internet, and firing of government officials. The unrest has involved burning of government office and facilities as well as infrastructure such as metro in Dhaka.

Various critics have claimed that the quota system was being misused by the ruling party Awami League to favour its supporters in the administration. However, Minister Huq came up and refuted such an accusation.

These protests have been extended into a more general protest against corruption, impunity, and increasing prices for living standards. Despite the fact that Bangladesh has witnessed a high economic growth rate, the country has not provided an opportunity to young university graduates for employment because around 18 million youths are jobless.

Demonstrations have intensified and have gone to the international level with the protests being held in front of the White House and in the heart of New York in Times Square. Violence at the protest erupted later in the day as pro- and anti-government demonstrators faced off in east London.

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Given that violence persists in a more random and unpredictable manner since the court’s verdict, Bangladesh has arrived at a precarious juncture. In the following weeks, the direction that will the country take depends on the government’s ability to respond to ongoing calls and address some of the basic economic issues.