Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned from her post as Prime Minister and has left the country. In Bangladesh, the month of July started with a violent movement, but the violence in the country does not seem to stop. After a brief period of peace at the end of July, yesterday, Sunday (August 4), Bangladesh once again experienced large-scale violence. In the wake of this violence, internet services have been shut down in Bangladesh, and an indefinite curfew has been imposed across the country. Nearly 100 people have lost their lives in the violent agitation that erupted against the government on Sunday. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk lamented the situation, saying, “I call on the political leadership and security forces in Bangladesh to live up to their responsibilities to protect the right to life, the right to peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression.” The protesters were demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resign from her post as Prime Minister. However, why did the wave of violent agitation spread in Bangladesh? And let us know why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to resign.
Bloody Sunday
Nearly 100 people were killed yesterday, Sunday (August 4), in fierce clashes between protesters and supporters of the ruling Awami League party, the country’s leading Bengali language daily newspaper ‘Pratham Alo’ reported. The non-cooperation program was organized by the protesters of ‘Students Against Discrimination’. Workers of Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League opposed the group of people attending the event. Then, clashes and violence started between these two groups on Sunday morning. In the ensuing violence, nearly 100 people died in clashes, shootings, and beatings across the country, according to leading Bengali language newspaper ‘Pratham Alo’. Fourteen of these dead are police personnel. Reports said that more than 300 policemen were injured in the violence.
The videos of the violence in Dhaka have been circulated. In it, the protesters were seen standing on army vehicles with Bangladeshi flags in their hands; on the other side, the soldiers were watching them from a distance. Hundreds of students blocked traffic from all sides in Dhaka’s Shah Bagh. Protesters had also gathered at Science Lab Chowk in the capital. They raised huge slogans against the government and also against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Daily Star newspaper also reported that on Sunday, some unidentified people torched several vehicles at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). These people carrying sticks in their hands were seen vandalizing private cars, ambulances, motorcycles, and buses on the hospital premises. As a result, an atmosphere of great fear was created among the patients, their attendants, doctors, and staff, the newspaper said. In response to all this, the police fired at some places along with tear gas.
What are the Protesters Demanding?
This movement of students in Bangladesh started on July 1. The Bangladesh High Court had decided to restore 30 percent reservation in government jobs for descendants of those who fought in the country’s 1971 war of independence. After a few days, this movement of students took shape to oppose that decision. Thousands of students studying in government as well as private educational institutions were seen strongly opposing this decision. The students feared that if 30 percent reservation in government jobs was given to the descendants of freedom fighters, they would be deprived of this benefit.
However, many statements made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and people in her government seem to have caused the agitation to become more heated and discontent among the protesters. Protesters have alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tried to insult protesters by calling them ‘razakars,’ who demanded the abolition of reservations for descendants of freedom fighters. The word ‘razakar’ is used in Bangladesh to mean contemptuous. The term is used to refer disparagingly to those who took a Pakistani stance during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. This is considered a betrayal of their country. After this statement made by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the students became more and more discontented and turned to violence.
Finally, on July 21, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh gave an important decision regarding this reservation. The Supreme Court reduced the 30 percent reservation in government jobs to the descendants of freedom fighters without abolishing it altogether. According to this decision, the 30 percent reservation for descendants of freedom fighters has been reduced to five percent. According to this decision, 93 percent of the posts in the country will be filled on a merit basis. The remaining two percent of posts will be reserved for ethnic minorities, transgender persons, and persons with disabilities. Although this decision given by the Supreme Court is important, the protesters are still demanding that all the reservations implemented for the descendants of the participants of the freedom struggle should be completely canceled.
On Sunday (August 4), it was seen that the agitation spread once again in Bangladesh. The protesters demanded that 120 people died in the violence in July and that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should take responsibility for the deaths and resign from her post. Also, some have expressed displeasure with the Supreme Court’s decision. The reason is that according to the new decision, the reservation for ethnic minorities, disabled, and transgender persons has been reduced. As this reservation has been reduced from 26 percent to 2 percent, a sense of displeasure has once again arisen. Apart from that, the coordinator of the anti-government movement, Nahid Islam, said that they will continue their protest on Monday, demanding Prime Minister Hasina’s resignation and putting pressure on the government. Among the prominent leaders of the nationwide civil disobedience campaign, F. Asif Mahmood told AFP, “We are calling on students and people across the country to march to Dhaka. Now is the time for a decisive movement.”
What Did Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Say?
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered an indefinite curfew from 6 pm on Sunday to curb the agitation. “Curfew has been imposed in Dhaka Metropolitan Area and all Divisional Headquarters, City Municipal Corporation, Municipalities, Industrial Areas, District, and Upazila Headquarters,” a statement issued by Bangladesh’s Home Ministry said.
To establish peace and stability across the country, the administration has declared a three-day holiday on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Along with this, the government has also ordered to close Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Mobile operators have also been ordered to stop ‘4G’ mobile internet services. Prime Minister Hasina had issued a statement in the background of this agitation. She had said that it was not the students who committed the violence in the name of protest, but the extremists. She also appealed to the people to turn a blind eye to such extremists. Hasina’s supporters rejected the demand for her resignation. On the contrary, they claimed that the peaceful protest had been hijacked. The protest was hijacked by the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, who were accused by Hasina’s supporters of having the support of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Andolan is Likely to Have Long-Term Effects
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has now resigned. It has also come to light that she has left the country. The growing unrest in Bangladesh became a matter of concern for Prime Minister Hasina. She was leading Bangladesh for more than 15 years. Last January, she returned to power for the fourth time in a row. However, the main opposition in the country had boycotted this election. Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, told AFP, “Frankly, the door is closing for Hasina.” They are losing their support and morals at that rate.”
It is said that this movement will have long-term effects on Bangladesh; Also, concern is being expressed about Bangladesh. Due to this movement, the economic stress on Bangladesh will increase further. While the country is currently in a state of instability, even if the Prime Minister has accepted the demands of the protesters and resigned, there is still doubt as to whether peace will be restored in the country. Time will tell whether the instability in the country will increase or decrease.
