3 August, 2024. Mirpur DOHS, Bangladesh.

3 August, 2024. Mirpur DOHS, Bangladesh.

Picture: Taskin Meher

#save_bangladeshi_student

hi guys! i know there's not a lot of you here on my account but i hope you will rb and share this as i've seen little to no coverage of this in international media.

Bangladesh has followed a quota system for high paying government jobs till 2018, where 30% of the seats were reserved for the descendents of the freedom fighters who fought to liberate our country against pakistan in 1971. due to mass student protesting in 2018, the quota system was scrapped, allowing more eligible students to secure the jobs.

The quota system was then reinstated this year with 56% of the seats reserved: 30% for the descendents of freedom fighters, and the rest for women, minorities and the disabled. University students are yet again left to suffer due to rising rates of unemployment in government jobs. The children of freedom fighters are given more priority by the government as an act of nepotism, so they can plug their own people into the jobs, putting the university students at a massive disadvantage.

On July 15th, the students of Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University started a peaceful protest march with the slogan #QuotaReform. They were met with resistance by the Bangladesh Cchatro League (Cchatro meaning students), a government organisation known for its violence. They launched at the students with weapons such sticks and sharp blades and later guns and ammunition. Police soon surrounded the protests as well and shot at multiple students, threw tear gas, sound gas and other forms of ammunition into the campuses.

7 students have lost their lives so far and there are hundreds injured with many hospitals refusing treatment. A 2 year old child was shot today...

The students have all been kicked out of their halls, and yet they are still protesting through the nationwide shutdown today (18/07/24). Our Prime Minister refuses to acknowledge the government's own violence towards THEIR CITIZENS.

I beg everyone who sees this to interact with and stay as educated about this to their best ability. #QuotaReform is barely trending anywhere and media coverage is difficult in Bangladesh due to the control of the government. The most we've able to do (those who are unable to protest on the streets) is share the news on our social media and spread awareness. Please take some time out of your day to talk about this. This country was built on the backs of student protests. We are reliving the student massacre of 1952 but instead of Pakistan its our own government and police firing at us...

Please rb and educate yourselves on this topic to spread awareness and if there are any Bangladeshis here going to protest please be safe we are all praying for you.