Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and the Army has taken control amid violent protests demanding her exit.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Resigns
- Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman told the media that the Army will form an interim government and has appealed to the protesters to return to the path of peace.
- Sheikh Hasina started her fifth term as Prime Minister earlier this year, left state capital Dhaka in a military aircraft for India.
- Protesters demanding her resignation have, meanwhile, stormed Gono Bhaban, Sheikh Hasina’s official residence
- The Bangladesh Army had given a 45-minute ultimatum to the Prime Minister to step down.
- The Protest left over 300 dead and violent clashes across the country
- The BSF has issued a high alert along the India-Bangladesh border. Train services, both passenger and freight services going towards the Bangladesh border areas, have been suspended.
Bangladesh Protest
- The student Bangladesh protests, which began in universities and colleges, escalated into widespread agitation against Prime Minister Hasina and her government, leading to violent clashes.
- Mobile internet connection in Bangladesh was restored after being restricted by the Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina government to prevent the spread of fake news amid student protests against quota reforms.
- Mobile internet was shut down by the Bangladesh government on July 18 due to rising violence across the country.
- Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina backed her controversial orders to enforce a curfew and shoot-on-sight order. She said such tough measures were required to ensure the security of people and their property.
- The government deployed the army to manage the unrest, which resulted in numerous casualties and damage to major government facilities.
Background Of Bangladesh Protest
- The reservation system was notified on September 5, 1972, reserving 30% of government and semi-government posts for freedom fighters, and 10% for women.
- After the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh, in August 1975, however, the quotas were effectively frozen until 1996 — when Hasina became Prime Minister for the first time.
- Benefits of the freedom fighters’ quota were subsequently extended to their sons and daughters.
- After the Awami League lost power in 2001, the process of implementation of the quota slowed down again.
- But Hasina returned as Prime Minister in 2009 and, two years later, the quota benefits were also made available to the grandchildren of freedom fighters.
- In 2018, the then Hasina government decided to scrap the freedom-fighter and other quotas.
- This was subsequently challenged in the court.
- In its June 5 order, the High Court ruled the government’s decision was arbitrary — and that the freedom fighters and their progeny remained one of the most backward sections of the country’s citizens.
- The demonstrations started after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to scrap it.
- She called the protesters “razakar“, an offensive term for those accused of collaborating with Pakistan’s army in 1971 to betray the country.
- The Supreme Court suspended the high court order after the government’s appeal. It dismissed the lower court order and directed that 93% of jobs should be open to candidates on merit.
- The court reserved 5% of jobs for family members of independence fighters and 2% for people from so-called backward groups and the disabled
Razakars
- Razakars were mercenary collaborators of the Pakistan military who led a brutal campaign of murder and rape in which up to 3 million Bangladeshis are estimated to have been killed in the space of a few months in 1971.
- In what was then East Pakistan, the Pakistan Armed Forces, along with radical Islamists, formed three main militias—Razakars, al-Badr, and al-Shams—to suppress civil liberties, target freedom fighters, and terrorize civilians.
- As per historians, the term “Rezakar” originated in Hyderabad (modern-day India) and referred to “volunteers.”
- In India, the Rezakars were a paramilitary force in Hyderabad that opposed integration with India after 1947.
- They were founded by Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Bahadur Yar Jung and led by Qasim Rizvi.
- After their defeat by the Indian Armed Forces in Operation Polo in 1948, Rizvi emigrated to Pakistan.
Causes of Bangladesh Protest
- Bangladesh PM Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement.
- The 30% quota for families of freedom fighters favours Awami League supporters, which led the independence fight.
- The unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs, with their accompanying regular wage hikes and privileges, very attractive.
- The quotas shrink the number of government jobs open for all, hurting aspirants who want them filled on the basis of merit.
- This led to Bangladesh protest as it sparked anger among students grappling with high youth unemployment, as nearly 32 million young people are out of work or education in a population of 170 million.
- The economy, once among the world’s fastest-growing, has stagnated, inflation hovers around 10% and dollar reserves are shrinking
Bangladesh Coup
The 1975 Bangladesh coup
- In 1975, a significant coup took place, resulting in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father, along with most of his family members. This Bangladesh coup was orchestrated by junior army officers, leading to Major General Ziaur Rahman taking power and declaring himself President.
Two mini Bangladesh coups
- The initial coup leaders could not sustain power for long, leading to further instability. On November 3, Brigadier General Khaled Mosharraf and Colonel Shafaat Jamil led another coup to remove the previous mutineers and restore order. This coup resulted in the killing of four national leaders in Dhaka Central Jail and the house arrest of Ziaur Rahman.
The return of Ziaur Rahman
- On November 7, another Bangladesh coup happened. It was led by Left-wing army personnel and politicians from the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD). It resulted in the death of Brigadier General Khaled Mosharraf. This Bangladesh coup freed Ziaur Rahman from house arrest and set him on the path to eventually becoming the president of Bangladesh. Ziaur Rahman ruled Bangladesh until his assassination in 1981, marking a period of military dominance in the country’s politics.
The 1982 Bangladesh coup
- Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad led yet another coup, seizing power in a bloodless takeover. Ershad declared martial law, suspended the constitution, and consolidated his control over both military and civilian structures. His regime ended in 1990 following a popular uprising demanding the restoration of democracy.
Bangladesh Economy
- More than two-thirds of Bangladesh’s 170 million population is the working age group of 15-64, and more than 25% are between the ages of 15 and 29 according to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
- 1.8 million to 1.9 million young people join the job market every year.
- Besides the 30% quota for freedom fighters, there are 10% quotas each for women and backward districts, 5% for members of tribal communities, and 1% for persons with disabilities, taking the total reservation to 56%.
- Government jobs are highly coveted due to their promise of stability and a guaranteed income.
- Many of Bangladesh’s export oriented enterprises are yet to recover from the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine.
- However, only 3.5 lakh appointments were made to government posts in the 2019-23 period, More than 5 lakh posts remain vacant
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