The country of Bangladesh, which has been rocked by violent riots that have claimed 150 lives, is expected to experience some quiet after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh reduced most of the quotas set aside for the descendants of veterans of the 1971 Liberation War. The movement by youth in a nation experiencing a severe jobs crisis and economic uncertainty was sparked by a High Court judgment reinstating the quotas that had been repealed in 2018. The Sheikh Hasina government’s brutal suppression of the demonstrators did not help; rather than stabilizing the situation, it made it worse and resulted in the terrible loss of a great number of lives.
The Prime Minister further exacerbated matters with his snarky remarks, questioning whether quotas should be granted to Razakars’ descendants instead, because the phrase is derogatory in Bangladeshi contexts.
The Razakars were a group that fought alongside the Pakistani establishment in the 1971 freedom war and were widely regarded as betraying their country. Although curfews, shoot-at-sight orders, and the deployment of the Army may be perceived as means to quell a violent uprising, in this case the agitators were young people fearing for their futures. There was not even an attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution with the agitators.
Sheikh Hasina’s claim that the opposition was the source of the protesters’ motivation certainly has some validity. But the government’s oppressive response to the protests hasn’t won over the populace. Voters are aware that there is little chance of a free and fair voting process in Bangladesh. More than the enormous support of the populace, electoral malpractices have contributed to Hasina’s unbroken reign in the nation.
It is to be hoped that the Bangladeshi administration will attempt to defuse the political tension and actually engage with the protestors in light of the highest court’s decision to essentially annul the quotas for war veterans’ heirs. India is closely monitoring the situation, and a large number of its students have already returned.
Mamata Banerjee has also declared that she is obligated by UN convention to accept any refugees who are fleeing Bangladesh. Next steps for Dhaka are critical.
ABHISHEK VERMA
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
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