In Bangladesh, thousands of students are staging protests in response to a court order reinstating a 30 percent quota for families of war veterans.
The demonstrations, which have been ongoing for several weeks, have now escalated into violence, resulting in at least six fatalities and hundreds of injuries. In reaction to the unrest, the government has ordered the closure of all public and private educational institutions.
University students have been staging rallies for several days to protest the reservation of certain public sector jobs for relatives of war heroes who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan. The demonstrators argue that the quota system is unfair and calls for its reevaluation to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens based on merits.
This week, several cities across Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, have witnessed violent clashes between supporters of the anti-quota movement and their opponents, primarily the student wing of the governing Awami League, known as the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
The confrontations saw student groups hurling bricks and wielding sticks against each other. In an attempt to disperse the violent groups, police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets. Student activists report that hundreds of individuals have been injured in the clashes.
The students have pledged to continue their protests until their demands are met.
