For several weeks, students have been marching against quotas that reserve some public jobs for descendants of independence fighters. But this week, at least six people died and hundreds were injured in violent clashes between student protesters and groups loyal to the government. On Wednesday, July 17, the Prime Minister promised that those responsible for the “murders” would be punished. Despite the closures of schools and universities, the clashes turned into riots.
5 min
Despite police repression and the closure of universities, riots took place again on Wednesday, July 17, on at least two major campuses, in particular to pay tribute to the first six deaths from the repression.
At 23, the student, who wishes to remain anonymous, is expected to graduate from the prestigious Dhaka University soon. He took part in the procession. “We were praying for them, then we did a funeral march with coffins through the university. We had just started the march when the police first blocked us and threw stun grenades, tear gas. And they surrounded us from everywhere and threw grenades and bombs continuously. We ran for our lives. ” he says.
His grandfather fought for the independence of Bangladesh acquired in 1971. If he applied, he could be eligible for quotas that reserve 30% of public sector jobs for descendants of liberation fighters. “50 years after independence, their grandchildren should not benefit from these quotas. We think this is not a fair thing. It is extremely illogical and discriminatory. “, he says.
He says he is determined, but fears that the movement will give in to repression. “Without more massive support from the population, students will not be able to hold out much longer against these brutal forces. ” he fears.
Tear gas and iron bars
On the videos that protesters sent to Nicolas Rocca RFI’s international service shows police firing tear gas at protesters, and civilians violently beating men on the ground with metal bars. With bloody heads, they beg them to stop. Other footage shows a protester standing in front of the police being shot.
The authorities are also trying to cut off communications, according to the protester, who wishes to remain anonymous. The connection is very bad. Since this morning, we are unable to access Facebook and other social networks. The authorities have slowed down the internet connection. »
Several statements by the Prime Minister have sparked a spat. The protesters are demanding the repeal of quotas reserving a third of public jobs for the children of independence heroes. In 2018, the system was eased before being reinstated by a court decision in June.
Read alsoBangladesh: Hundreds of students injured in pro- and anti-quota clashes
Punitive attacks on government orders, protesters say
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina re-elected for a fourth term In January, in elections that the opposition called a sham, she refused to give in to the protesters’ demands. She implied that they were collaborators and sent the police to remove the blockades. This led to violent clashes and the deaths of six people on Tuesday.
Protesters accuse the ruling Awami League’s student wing of carrying out punitive attacks on the government’s orders. Here’s how a student described the organization by phone.
” They are not all students, some are, but they also brought in people who would do anything for money. They hired them to attack us. The league people went to both men’s and women’s dormitories and tortured students brutally. »
Pro-government activists, meanwhile, denounce the violence of protesters and political opponents. The authorities claim to have found weapons at the headquarters of the main opposition party.
Promise of justice, announces Prime Minister
The Prime Minister has since spoken out. She promised that those responsible for the ” murders ” would be punished, regardless of their political affiliation. A way of saying that the violence comes from both sides. Sheikh Hasina has promised justice, but it is not certain that she will be heard by the demonstrators. One of the students contacted by RFI reacted by saying: ” The government has deeply disappointed us. They are the ones who killed our brothers. »
For Nordine Drici, director of the consultancy firm ND Consultance, this highly controversial subject is unlikely to be settled by the courts. In Bangladesh, we have a facade of democracy, Sheikh Hasina has just been elected for the fourth time for a new term after elections whose independent neutral process is very contested and very controversial. She was re-elected in January 2024. She was also able to be elected thanks to the boycott of the opposition party, the BNP, the Bangladeshi nationalist party. If we look at things from the outside, indeed, she was re-elected ” he explains.
Then Nordine Drici adds: “ There is a Parliament that absolutely does not play its role as a control body of power. And in this context, justice is clearly being manipulated by the power in place. Justice, today, is in the hands of Sheikh Hasina. So for Sheikh Hasina to say that she is relying on justice is just a trick since in any case justice is going to go to the side of power. At a very recent moment in the history of Bangladesh, the President of the Supreme Court had to be dismissed from his duties, he had to leave, basically, he was forced to leave because there was a controversy between the power in place and the judiciary on the degree of independence that was given to magistrates. »
Sheikh Hasina is forced to install a system of terror through repressive laws. The Digital Security Act, a few years ago, the Digital Security Act as well. So she covers all possible areas of opposition, of protest, with the idea, and this is very important in Bangladeshi politics, of remaining in her father’s legacy.
Nordine Drici, director of the ND Consultance consultancy firm
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights responded by calling on the authorities to engage with the protesters and investigate the violence.
Read alsoVisionary Icon or Authoritarian Dynast? Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s Elusive Leader