2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement

See also: 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement and 2013 Bangladesh quota reform movement

2024 Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement
Student demonstrations in Shahbagh, Dhaka in July 2024
Date	6 June 2024 – present (1 month, 1 week and 2 days)
Location	Bangladesh
Caused by	Reinstating of the pre-2018 quota system in government jobs through the declaration of the 2018 government circular as illegal by the Bangladesh High Court.
Goals	Majority: Reduction of the amount of quotas in all government jobs in Bangladesh Factions: Complete abolishmet of the quota system
Methods	Protests Public demonstrations Traffic obstruction Picketing Sitdown strikes Occupation Rail obstruction Lawsuits Civil strife
Status	Ongoing Appellate Division orders status quo ante for a four-weeks period regarding the quota issue on 10 July Protestors meet violent suppression from Chhatra League
Parties
Protesters General Students of Bangladesh Government of Bangladesh Bangladesh Police Awami League Chhatra League
Lead figures
Collective leadership Sheikh Hasina Obaidul Quader Saddam Hussain
Casualties and losses
~350 injuries

The 2024 Quota Reform Movement, dubbed as Bangla Blockade by the protesters, is an ongoing protest movement spearheaded by the students, as well as teachers, of both the public universities and private universities demanding reform of the conventional system of quota-based recruitment in all types of government jobs in the country. The protests started in response of a verdict by the High Court division on 5 June 2024, which declared the 2018 government circular cancelling the 30pc quota for freedom fighters and their descendants in government jobs, illegal. The circular was issued in the wake of the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement.

After the court decision, online activism started against the verdict, along with calls for "another 2018". Initial protests were staged in early-June, mainly concentrated in the capital Dhaka, but was later discontinued due to Eid-ul-Adha and summer holidays. After the holiday, peaceful demonstrations restarted from 1 July, meanwhile public university teachers declared work strike protesting the new Universal Pension Scheme, thus universities came to be closed indefinitely. Demonstrations spread nationwide as the movement became convened by a newly-organised 'Boishommobirodhi Chhatro Andolon', an umbrella organisation for the student protesters. From 7 July, protestors started nationwide 'Bangla Blockade', organising traffic and rail obstruction with demonstrations in major suburbs. Though the Appellate Division ordered a four-weeks status quo regarding the issue on 10 July, protests continued demanding a solving from the government. Protests turned violent for the first time the next day as the police clashed with the students as government started to become hardline. On 14 July, controversy erupted regarding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's statement, escalating the situation. Within 15 July, ruling Awami League solidified it's stance against the demonstration and the protestors met violent suppression from Chhatra League, leaving several hundreds injured and taking the situation to a deadlock.

Background

After the High Court verdict was published on June 5, 2024, students of various universities in Dhaka united to demand quota reform. After the movement was initially started, it was postponed due to Eid and summer holidays. After the holidays, the agitation started again peacefully but gradually became widespread. Initially the students and teachers of public universities including University of Dhaka, Jagannath University, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Jahangirnagar University, University of Chittagong, University of Rajshahi, Comilla University, Islamic University and other educational institutions joined the movement. Later, the students of private universities including North South University, American International University-Bangladesh, United International University, Independent University Bangladesh and Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology also followed suit by joining the public demonstration. Under the banner of "anti-discrimination student movement", students started a blockade program called Bangla Blockade. During the movement, the Appellate Division issued a status quo for four weeks on July 10, canceling the freedom fighter quota. Reacting to the court verdict, the students said they are seeking a final solution to the quota issue from the government, claiming the movement has nothing to do with the court. Appellate Division upholds status quo in High Court verdict.

Demands

The anti-discrimination student movement has put forward the following demands to the government:

• Quota system effective in existing government jobs is cancelled
• Provision of quota at fair rates to minority groups and disabled people
• Passing a new law in the parliament to lower the quota to the maximum level of 5%.

Timeline

10 July

On this day University of Dhaka students gathered in front of the central library and went to Shahbagh and besieged the place. Members of the law and order forces positioned barricades in front of the students. In the afternoon, it is known that the status quo has been given for four weeks in the judgment given by the High Court canceling the quota system. The Chief Justice asked the students to go back. Dhaka's transport system came to a standstill due to the blockade in various parts of Dhaka. Long-distance buses were stopped due to the agitation.

On this day, the police attacked the students of Comilla University.

11 July

The siege of Shahbagh was supposed to start from 3 pm but due to rain, the students crossed the police barricade on their way to Shahbagh and started at 4:30 PM. Dhaka College students retreated due to police barricades and Dhaka University students joined the students of Jagannath University at Shahbagh. Apart from Shahbagh, other places in Dhaka were unaffected by the movement. At 9 PM, the students ended their agitation and announced a protest march and rally on July 12 to protest the police attack on them.

12 July

On 12 July at 05:00 PM, students, ignoring the administration's warnings, gathered at Shahbagh and staged a blockade.

On this day, while students were protesting at Comilla Victoria College, a group of Chhatra League members launched an attack. During the situation, a student who was recording a video was taken to a hall and beaten mercilessly by the Chhatra League members.

14 July

Students marched in Dhaka to express their concerns through a sit-in protest and blockade, later submitting a memorandum to President Mohammed Sahabuddin.

In protest against the statement given by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh during a press conference about the quota reform movement, students demonstrated at midnight in the Dhaka University campus area. Female students from Rokeya Hall joined breaking the lock put up by the authorities at the dorm gate.

The government instructed operators to shut down the 4G network in the University of Dhaka area. At around 11:30 PM, leaders and members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked the protesters at University of Chittagong where 13 of the student protesters got injured.

15 July

In Jessore at around 12:00 PM, the students from Jessore University of Science and Technology and Michael Madhusudan College staged a protest, where a member of the BCL attacked and injured a protester.

In Dhaka, Members of the BCL started their procession to Shahbagh from Segunbagicha near Motsho Bhobon at around 3:45 PM.

Later in the evening, BCL members attacked students inside Bijoy Ekattor Hall of Dhaka University. Where some of the attacker were seen shooting with pistols and carrying sticks. In response, the protesters also threw brickbats from the inside of the hall to retaliate.

While covering the protest in DU, two photojournalists from The Daily Star and Prothom Alo also got assaulted and injured by the attack carried out by BCL.

Later the same evening, an attack carried out by the BCL Rajshahi branch at the Rajshahi University also left 6 students injured including the Joint convenor of the Bangladesh Students Union at RU.

At 9:45 PM, the protesters in DU called for a nation wide demonstrations and rallies in all educational institutions of the country at 3pm on 16th July as part of the new program.

16 July

Early on July 16th, in the midnight, members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) attacked Jahangirnagar University students using firearms. The students took shelter at the vice-chancellor's residence after breaking its lock. Around 300 BCL activists, armed with GI pipes and sticks, threw bricks and glass bottles at the students. Shots were reportedly fired. Police arrived to control the situation, while both groups positioned themselves outside the VC's residence. Students claimed the attackers included outsiders, some in their forties.

Controversy

Students of the University of Rajshahi using the Razakar slogans at 11:30pm on 14 July 2024

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina expressed at the Ganabhaban on 14 July 2024:

If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don't get quota benefits, will those then go to the grandchildren of Razakars? That's my question, the countrymen's question.

In response to the Prime Minister's comment on July 15, 2024, students began using slogans such as "তুমি কে, আমি কে? রাজাকার, রাজাকার! কে বলেছে, কে বলেছে? সরকার, সরকার!" (lit. 'Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar! Who has said it? Who has said it? The Government, the Government!') and "চেয়েছিলাম অধিকার, হয়ে গেলাম রাজাকার!" (lit. 'Wanted rights, became Razakar!'). The Bangladesh Chhatra League threatened that any protester using these slogans would face consequences, as they viewed these actions as offensive to the spirit of the liberation war and freedom fighters. The organization announced plans to take action if the usage of these slogans continued.

Social Welfare Minister Dipu Moni, stated that the protesters should not have the right to hold the flag of Bangladesh. In light of these events, the Prime Minister questioned the education of the protesters and described their behavior as "very regrettable."

While the protesters argue that the Prime Minister's statement indirectly labeled them as "Razakars" and demeaned those whom are advocating for quota reform. And in response to that, they have adopted the slogan, stating that if they were to continue their protest under that label, they would accept it.

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See also

• 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement
• 2013 Bangladesh quota reform movement