Bangladesh Erupts: Supreme Court Slashes Controversial Job Quotas Amid Deadly Protests and Unrest

July 22, 2024
Bangladesh Erupts: Supreme Court Slashes Controversial Job Quotas Amid Deadly Protests and Unrest
  • Protests in Bangladesh over the government's reintroduction of a controversial quota system for public positions resulted in violent clashes and over 150 deaths.

  • The Supreme Court has abolished most quotas on government jobs following nationwide protests that turned violent and resulted in at least 139 deaths.

  • The quota system, which reserved 56% of jobs for specific groups, had been scrapped by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2018 but was reinstated by a lower court, sparking the protests.

  • Despite the Supreme Court's intervention to reduce the quota from 30 to 7 percent, tensions remain high as the population grapples with economic challenges, high unemployment, and inflation.

  • Protests, led by students, continued despite a crackdown by security forces that included an internet shutdown and curfew.

  • Protest organizers plan to continue their actions until demands are met, including the release of detained student leaders and the restoration of internet and cellular services.

  • The government has extended the curfew indefinitely and implemented restrictions on public gatherings.

  • The ongoing unrest challenges Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's control as the country continues to experience widespread revolt against her regime.

Summary based on 108 sources


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Sources

Bangladesh Orders Curfew to Quell Deadly Protests

The New York Times • Jul 20, 2024

Bangladesh Orders Curfew to Quell Deadly Protests

The Protests in Bangladesh

The New York Times • Jul 19, 2024

The Protests in Bangladesh

Student Protests in Bangladesh Turn Deadly: What to Know


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