How peaceful Bangladesh quota protests morphed into nationwide unrest

This Al Jazeera article (published July 21, 2024) covers how student protests in Bangladesh over a government job quota system escalated into widespread violent nationwide unrest. The protests began as demonstrations against a policy reserving over 50% of government jobs — including a 30% quota for descendants of 1971 independence war veterans — but intensified after a violent crackdown by police and ruling Awami League party supporters, resulting in at least 131–146 deaths, the vast majority being students and ordinary civilians. Main Topics Covered Origins of the protests: Students demanded reform of the discriminatory quota system amid high unemployment and rising costs of living Government crackdown: Police used live bullets, tear gas, and rubber bullets; curfew and shoot-on-sight orders were imposed; the army was deployed Escalation: General citizens joined the protests, broadening demands to include government accountability, resignations, and an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Supreme Court ruling: The court scrapped most quotas, allocating 93% of jobs on merit, but protesters continued demonstrating Internet blackout: A complete internet shutdown disrupted banking, commerce, journalism, and daily life, including operations at Chattogram port, which handles 80% of national trade

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Al Jazeera

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Al Jazeera

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