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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   1500 thread views

Transnational Thursday for July 18, 2024

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Reuters: Explainer: Why are Bangladesh students protesting against job quotas?

The demonstrations started last month after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to scrap it.

That move, which covered the 30% of jobs reserved for family members of freedom fighters in the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan, followed similar student protests.

But the Supreme Court suspended the high court order after the government's appeal, setting a date of Aug. 7 to hear the government's challenge.

However, the students stepped up their protest when Hasina refused to meet their demands, citing the court proceedings.

 

Introduced in 1972, Bangladesh's quota system has gone through several changes since. When it was abolished in 2018, 56% of government jobs were blocked under various quotas.

The bulk covered groups such as freedom fighters' families, with women and those from underdeveloped districts receiving a share of a tenth each, with 5% allotted to indigenous communities, and 1% for the disabled.

The protesting students want all categories abolished, except the last two.

 

Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement. Protesters and critics say the 30% quota for families of freedom fighters favours Awami League supporters, which led the independence fight.

Experts also attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs, with their accompanying regular wage hikes and privileges, very attractive.

The quotas shrink the number of government jobs open for all, hurting aspirants who want them filled on the basis of merit.

They have sparked anger among students grappling with high youth unemployment, as nearly 32 million young people are out of work or education from a population of 170 million.

Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement

It is important to put this in context. All direct and extended members of the Rahman family were murdered in cold blood, children and all. Hasina is the only* living member of her family, that's only because she was in Europe at the time.

This is a muslim majority country that's lived through a major genocide (in 1971), multiple bloody coups and is still attempting to be a democracy. Just the fact that that a muslim country is trying to be democracy is already a tall task.

Under her tenure as prime minister, Bangladesh has experienced democratic backsliding. Human Rights Watch documented widespread enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under her government

Wikipedia being tone deaf as usual. Practically every non-Hasina Bangladeshi leader has a genocide or dictatorial military coup on their hands. Bangalesh can't experience democratic backlisliding beceause it started at the bottom.

These fledgling countries need time. If you don't want military coups every 3 years, you need to keep them well fed. Yes, that means 100x better perks than civilians. But, it is better than having your head chopped off. Yes, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are genetically and historically quite similar. But, only India has shown a genuine affinity for democracy. The other 2 are still figuring it out. There are obvious reasons for why, but that's a whole another discussion.

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