Students rampage in Bangladesh protesting job quota for veterans' families; India calls it an ‘internal matter'

Bangladesh is going through the worst phase in years as students have taken to the streets protesting the Government’s 30 per cent quota for relatives of the veterans who fought its war of independence in 1971. A national curfew has been imposed and the army has been deployed after 105 people including two journalists died in the bloodiest protests for a decade. A ‘shoot-on-sight’ order is also in place giving security forces the authority to fire on mobs, showing the gravity of the situation. Slowly but surely the student protest is turning into an all-out protest against the government as student protesters stormed a prison and freed inmates. The students maintain that job reservation for families of veterans mostly benefits supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement. Students are struggling in a country where around 32 million young people are neither employed nor in education. Although job opportunities have increased in certain areas of the private sector, many individuals prefer government jobs due to their perceived stability and better pay. The Government’s crackdown on the protesting students has had little effect in controlling the violence. The protests, which began earlier this month, have led to widespread unrest and disruption across the country, leaving many foreign students in precarious situations.

About 15,000 Indians live in Bangladesh, of whom around 8,500 are students. Around 4,000 students are still awaiting their turn to be evacuated. The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has confirmed that 1000 Indian students have been safely brought back home.  The families are anxiously waiting for the return of stranded students. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has set up a dedicated helpline to assist students and provide real-time updates on the repatriation process. Students have been advised to stay in touch with the mission and follow its guidance closely. A communication blackout has been in place since Thursday, including the suspension of mobile data and text message services. Besides, the Government’s high-handedness in dealing with the protests has only escalated the tension and put the Hasina Government in a bad light. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is facing one of the most severe challenges of her 15-year tenure. Indeed, it is one of the biggest challenges Sheikh Hasina has faced in years. The student protests are turning into general protests against the government. Sheikh Hasina has appealed to students to wait for the court verdict on the issue but to no avail. India meanwhile has termed the unrest in the neighbourhood as an ‘internal matter of Bangladesh’ but must be concerned as Sheikh Hasina’s Government maintains good relations with India and any disruption may impact Indo-Bangladesh relations.