Six people killed in ongoing protests against employment quotas in Bangladesh – JURIST

Six people were killed and hundreds injured in Bangladesh on Tuesday as students protested against the quota system that reinstates a 30 percent quota for government jobs for children of freedom fighters from the 1971 Bangladesh War, according to local news. As the country is rocked by deadly protests, the government has ordered the indefinite closure of schools and colleges.

The protest erupted across much of the country after Bangladesh’s Supreme Court upheld its previous order to reinstate the 30 percent quota while hearing an appeal against the June 5 ruling. The government had abolished the 30 percent quota for first-class and second-class jobs in 2018 amid fierce protests and criticism from the public.

The protesters claim that the quota system for job allocation is “discriminatory” and “unfairly” favors the children of pro-government groups, putting current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ruling Awami League party in the public spotlight.

In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, violent clashes broke out between the Chhatri League, a student union affiliated to the Awami League, formerly known as East Pakistan Student League and students from across the state, including various colleges and universities. The clash between the groups resulted in the death of three students. In addition, two protesting students were reportedly killed by gunfire in Chittagong, Bangladesh’s second largest city. A student died in another city after a police attack. The government has also deployed border troops in several districts to contain the student-led protests. Police reportedly fired grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters.

The United Nations expressed concern about the violent protests and called on the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of the demonstrators, who include students, from any “threat or violence”.