Bangladesh quota reform movement | |
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A protester in the 2024 movement carrying the Bangladeshi flag with the slogan "One point one demand, Quota not come back" written on his body in Bengali and English. A rally of female student protesters in BUET during the 2018 movement, with the protest sign written "Reform Quota". | |
Date | First phase: 6 June – 18 July 2013 Second phase: 17 February – 18 July 2018 Third phase: 6 June – 5 August 2024 |
Location | Bangladesh and abroad |
Caused by | First and Second Phase: Quota system of Bangladesh Civil Service Third Phase: Reinstating of the pre-2018 quota system |
Goals | Reduction of quotas in public sector jobs and education for a merit-based system |
Methods |
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Resulted in | First Phase: Not Successful Second Phase: The government issued a circular reducing reserved quotas for government jobs from 56% to 35% and eliminating the freedom fighters' quota. Third Phase: The Appellate Division of Supreme Court orders 93% recruitment in government jobs to be based on merit and 5% to be reserved for the children of freedom fighters, martyred freedom fighters and Biranganas, 1% for the ethnic minorities and 1% for the third gender and the disabled people, with the public administration ministry publishing a gazette notification in line with the Supreme Court verdict |
Casualties | |
Death(s) | Third phase: 440[2] |
The quota reform movement in Bangladesh has been organized to demand reduction of quota in government jobs and recruitment based on merit.[3][4][5] There have been three agitations for quota reforms in Bangladesh. So far, the general university and college students are in favor of this movement and the Awami League ruling Bangladesh government, Chhatra League and Awami League like-minded organisations are against.[6][7]
The first quota reform movement took place in 2013. Then in 2018, after the movement, a circular was announced in favor of the agitators. But this circular was declared invalid by the Supreme Court and the movement started again in 2024. Every time during the agitation, Bangladesh Police and Chhatra League attacked the students with lethal force.[8][9][10]
Quota system was first introduced in 1972 after the independence of Bangladesh in government jobs. At that time, 20% of the merit list was allocated, 40% was district-wise, 30% was allotted to family members of freedom fighters who participated in the freedom struggle of Bangladesh, and 10% was allotted to war-affected women.[11] This quota system was changed several times later.[12]
Previously, Bangladesh has more than 55% quota in various government jobs, including 30% freedom fighter quota, 10% district-wise quota, 10% for women and 5% for minorities.[13][14] However, as per the rules, if there are no qualified candidates in these quotas, 1% is allocated for the disabled. As a result, only 44% of the candidates were able to secure placement on merit. This leads to dissatisfaction among a large section of general students, as they are being deprived of marks in any examination despite scoring more than the under-quota candidates.
According to the information published in Prothom Alo, the number of registered freedom fighters is 200–250 thousands,[15] that is, the number of freedom fighters is 1.2–1.5 per 1,000 people, which accounts 0.12–0.15% of the entire population. That means, for 0.12% freedom fighters, the quota amount is 30%, converting to thousands, it can be seen that the quota amount is 300 for 1% to 1.5% (one and a half) freedom fighters among 1,000 people.[citation needed]
The 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, also known as July Revolution,[a] was a series of anti-government[b] and pro-democracy[c] protests in Bangladesh, spearheaded primarily by university students. Initially focused on restructuring quota-based systems for government job recruitment, the movement expanded against what many perceive as an authoritarian government when they carried out a massacre of protestors and civilians, most of whom were students.[d] The majority of the fatalities were caused by gunshots fired by the police and other government forces, using lethal and deadly weapons,[36] against unarmed protestors and non-protesting civilians, including children and pedestrians.[e]
The protest began in June 2024, in response to the Supreme Court of Bangladesh reinstating a 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters, reversing the government decision made in response to the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement. Students began to feel like they have a limited opportunity based on merit. The protest, which initially began as a response to the reestablished quota system for government jobs, quickly spread throughout the entire country because of the government's violent response, as well as growing public dissatisfaction against an oppressive government. The situation was further complicated by many other ongoing issues, like the government's inability to manage a prolonged economic downturn, reports of rampant corruption and human rights violations, and the absence of democratic channels for initiating changes.[41][42][43][44]
The government sought to suppress the protests by shutting down all educational institutions. They deployed their student wing, the Chhatra League, along with other factions of the Awami League party, such as the Jubo League and the Swechasebak League. These groups resorted to using firearms and sharp weapons against the demonstrators.[f] The government then deployed Police, RAB, BGB and other armed forces, declaring a nationwide shoot-at-sight curfew[g] amid an unprecedented government-ordered nationwide internet and mobile connectivity blackout that effectively isolated Bangladesh from the rest of the world.[h] Later, the government also blocked social media in Bangladesh, including Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp.[53] As of August 2, there were 215 confirmed deaths, more than 20,000 injuries,[54][55] and more than 11,000 arrests in various parts of the country.[i] The unofficial death toll is between 300 and 500.[60] UNICEF reported that at least 32 children were killed during July's protests, with many more injured and detained.[61][62] Determining the exact number of deaths has been difficult because the government reportedly restricted hospitals from sharing information with the media without police permission, hospital CCTV footage was confiscated, and numerous individuals with gunshot wounds were buried without identification.[63][64][65]
The Awami League government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have suggested that political opponents have co-opted the protest.[66][67] Despite the curfew restrictions the movement remained ongoing as it expanded its demands to include accountability for violence, a ban on the student wing of the government Chhatra League, and resignation of certain government officials,[68] including the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina.[69] The government's use of widespread violence against the general public turned the student protest into a people's uprising known as the non-cooperation movement. The movement called for nationwide civil disobedience and for Hasina and her cabinet to step down and take responsibility for the deaths. The government denied that any protestors were killed by its security forces.[j]
On 3 August, as a last resort to quell the protests, Sheikh Hasina proposed peaceful talks with the protesters, stating that her office was open and expressing a desire to "sit with the quota protesters and listen to them." However, central coordinator Nahid Islam announced that the protesters had no plans to negotiate with the government due to having endured torture while in police custody and having resorted to a hunger strike while detained by police and the Detective Branch. Asif Mahmud, another coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, stated, "There is no dialogue with bullets and terrorism."[74] This marked the end of the movement.
On 4 August, thousands of protesters convened at Shahbag intersection in the morning, obstructing it as a form of civil disobedience to demand the resignation of the government.[75] This was also followed by hundreds of casualties.[76] On next day, the protesters called for the "Long March to Dhaka" in defiance of a nationwide curfew to press Sheikh Hasina to resign.[77] Under pressure from both the army and the protesters, Hasina eventually stepped down that same day at around 3:00 p.m. (UTC+6) and fled to India with her sister.In the wake of the movement, the cabinet of the government of Bangladesh on 3 October 2018, issued a circular dismissing the quota system for recruitment in the ninth to thirteenth grades (formerly known as first and second class jobs).[78][79] On 30 July 2019, the government said, there is no quota in recruitment in 1st and 2nd class post (9th to 13th grade) at present, the quota for the post of 3rd and 4th class (14th to 20th grade) is still in force, but if no candidate of the relevant quota is found, it has to be filled from the merit list of the general candidate.[80] In addition to clarifying the previous circular on quotas issued on 20 January 2020, the cabinet also approved a proposal provided by the Ministry of Public Administration to cancel quotas on direct appointments to eighth or higher grade posts in government jobs.[81]
On 21 July 2024, the Appellate Division of Supreme Court ordered an overhaul to the quota reservation system. It increased merit appointments in the civil service to 93% and reduced slots allotted for descendants of veterans of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to 5%, with the remainder going to ethnic minorities, the disabled and third gender people.[82][83][84]
On 23 July 2024, the public administration ministry published a gazette notification[85][86] in line with the Supreme Court verdict on the quota system in government jobs.[87][88][89] Law minister Anisul Huq said the new quota system will be followed while recruiting employees directly in all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions, statutory bodies and different corporations.[90][91][92]