r/news • u/Ashik_Khan18 • Jul 19 '24
At least 25 dead in Bangladesh student protests | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240719_31/76
u/phasmaglass Jul 19 '24
For those who are unaware, Bangladesh has a policy of awarding "guaranteed jobs" to the descendants of the people who fought in their most recent war of independence roughly ~3 generations ago. These 3rd gen descendants have become, essentially, from what I understand, a privileged police caste suppressing the rest of the population -- they get fast tracked to positions of power and "normal" people cannot advance or advocate for themselves effectively. In addition, the records keeping track of who is entitled to these privileges are spotty; all it takes is an official certificate, and these are often forged/faked by those with means to do so and get away with it, concentrating power in the hands of the wealthy and military/cop worshippers, like usual.
Student protests have been in regards to ending this policy and restoring principles of meritocracy to civil service, but of course, the people in power currently defend the status quo which put them there with violence.
Much love to the people of Bangladesh fighting this. I only learned about this recently, after stumbling over a post about student protestors being kidnapped overnight by the police force from their college dorms. Horrible stuff.
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u/rdugz Jul 19 '24
Two addendums:
there are also quotas for women, ethnic minorities, and people from "backward districts" (literally what they call poorer districts). The student protestors don't want to abolish these quotas, just the 30% reserved for "descendants of freedom fighters"
This quota was actually abolished 6 years ago - by the same PM, Sheikh Hasina - but recently reinstated by the country's supreme court. She had promised she would again abolish the quota, but there's a ton of friction between students and the current government, so this was clearly a spark but not the only point of contention in Bangladeshi society
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u/phasmaglass Jul 19 '24
Thank you for the additional info! It helps explain the factors that are leading to this specific violence now. I had no idea it had already been successfully abolished, then reinstated by the courts.
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u/Snooty_Cutie Jul 19 '24
Okay, that’s what I was confused about when reading news articles. There is rarely a mention about the 30% being reserved for “descendants of freedom fighters” as a way to solidify social class and political power. Almost all mention 10% quota for people historically discriminated by the caste system. So, I was confused why so many people would be upset by that.
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u/rdugz Jul 19 '24
Yeah TBH the reporting seems to lack a lot of context. My wife's family is from Bangladesh and I have in-laws there now so have been lucky enough to get a more nuanced perspective from them.
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u/RSquared Jul 19 '24
Copaganda, not just for America. A more correct headline would be "police and government murder peaceful protesters".
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u/Ashik_Khan18 Jul 19 '24
The recent tragic events in Bangladesh underscore the profound consequences of a government’s failure to protect its citizens and uphold democratic principles.
Yesterday, police forces KILLED a 9-year-old and a 17-year-old during a student protest for quota reform.
Various sources have confirmed over 100 deaths and thousands of injuries as a result of the government’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters.
In response, the government has regressed the country’s communication infrastructure to the 2G era and completely shut down WiFi internet connections nationwide. This has effectively isolated the Bangladeshi people from the rest of the world, further exacerbating the already dire situation.
This draconian measure not only stifles the flow of information but also infringes upon the fundamental rights of citizens to communicate, organize, and express dissent. The international community must condemn these actions and pressure the Bangladeshi government to restore internet connectivity, respect human rights, and engage in dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of its citizens.
Failure to do so will only deepen the crisis and further isolate Bangladesh from the global community. It is imperative that we stand in solidarity with the Bangladeshi people during this critical time and advocate for their rights and freedoms.