Dhaka, July 19: Thousands of students are protesting in Bangladesh, demanding a change in the quota system. A high-security alert has been issued across Bangladesh as violent clashes between students and police persist. The clash has resulted in the deaths of 32 people as of July 19, according to reports. It's been weeks since the students protest began, triggering unrest across the country. Here is a deeper look into why students are protesting in Bangladesh and what their demands are.

During the protest, which was started by students from the Dhaka University, the protesting crowd pursued retreating officers to BTV's headquarters in Dhaka, setting fire to the reception building and numerous parked vehicles. The incident occurred a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared at BTV's headquarters to address the deadly clashes. The protesters are holding rallies nationwide to abolish the Sheikh Hasina-led government's job quota system. Bangladesh Violence: 11 More People Killed in Dhaka As Violence Escalates Over Student Protests Demanding Reforms of Quota System for Government Jobs.

Why Are Students Protesting in Bangladesh?

The protests began when the High Court reinstated a job quota system for families of 1971 independence warfighters, reversing a 2018 decision by Hasina's government to abolish it. The Supreme Court later suspended this decision and scheduled a hearing for August 7. Despite this, student protests grew after Hasina called them "razakar," a term for those who collaborated with Pakistan during the war. The demonstrations intensified after Sheikh Hasina declined to meet the students' demands, citing ongoing court proceedings. Bangladesh Shuts Down Mobile Internet for ‘Security’ Reasons As Student Protests Over Job Quota System Continue.

What Are Students Demanding?

As of 2018, 56% of the government jobs were reserved. The Hasina government had abolished the 30% quota for families of freedom fighters from the 1971 independence war. The students are demanding government jobs based on merit instead of the existing quota system. Student protesters in Bangladesh are now calling for the removal of "discriminatory" quotas across all job grades and limiting overall reservation to 5 percent for backward populations. They also demand the removal of separate quotas for children of veterans from the country's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan, as defined by the Bangladeshi Constitution. They also demand a parliamentary bill to make these changes official.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 19, 2024 10:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).