A nation in chaos: over 600 killed in Bangladesh since anti-government protests erupted in July

DHAKA, Bangladesh ꟷ In a nation born of protest, Bangladesh boasts a long history of significant movements. These movements shaped Bangladesh’s identity and governance. In June 2023, that history of protest reignited. Students rejected the high court’s reinstatement of a quota system abolished in 2018. The quota allows for one-third of civil service jobs to go to relatives of veterans from the war for independence in 1971.

Since the mobilizations erupted, nearly 650 people in Bangladesh have been killed. Gender and religious-based violence increased, and hundreds of homes have burned. The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country after protestors repeatedly stormed her home. The Army then took over as the interim government.

Colleges and universities suspended classes after the protests erupted in Bangladesh. Telecommunication systems were widely disrupted as authorities tried to quell the unrest. The protest turned violent in early July following clashes between thousands of demonstrators and police who resorted to using rubber bullets, tear gas, and noise grenades to disperse the crowds.

Protests begin in June after Supreme Court temporarily reinstates quota system

While the quota has since been removed, the protests continued as an anti-government movement and the Prime Minister resigned. The current protest has roots in history. The country’s first major protest known as Bhasha Andolan [The Bengali Language Movement] took place in the early 1950s when the region was considered East Pakistan.

In 1971, the Indian Army supported Bangladesh’s war for independence against Pakistan, ultimately becoming its own country. In 1972, then President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the quota system to honor and support the descendants of those who fought for the country’s independence. This offered 30 percent of government jobs to the families of freedom fighters, with additional quotas for women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

Bangladesh remains home to 170 million people with “one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” but 18 million university grads struggle to find jobs. They face higher unemployment than their less-educated peers. The quota felt like a slap in the face.

While the quotas were dismantled after the protests started, the demonstrations continued and grew beyond university students, pointing out corruption in the government. Here, a citizen directing traffic holds a placard reading, “Let Reformation Happen from Within,” as he stands in the middle of the city.

Widespread destruction ravages Bangladesh

According to the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, “Reports of widespread destruction of public and private property began to emerge.” They cited 235 damaged police facilities and 69 destroyed outposts. “Hundreds of other public facilities, including metro rail stations and express highways, were also damaged.” The state-run Bangladesh Television in Dhaka was burned. Attacks also took place against minorities including Hindus.

Protestors gathered widely, including here, at Central Shaheed Minar or the Central Martierd Building, one of Dhaka’s historical landmarks. The UN confirmed reports of more than 600 people killed, including protestors, bystanders, journalists, and some members of security forces. Thousands more protestors and bystanders endured injuries, overwhelming hospitals.

Under the quota system, students began to feel like they had limited opportunities based on merit. The demonstrations, which formally began in June 2024, escalated into violence in July when the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina refused to meet the students’ demands, citing court proceedings.

In addition to the extensive injuries incurred, in early August UNICEF reported at least 32 children were killed. The report also noted children being detained. Bangladesh signed onto the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child – part of international human rights law. International authorities have called for the end of this detention.

Minorities in Bangladesh suffer in protests

News reports cited the threats taking place against minorities. “The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance said the minority community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, terming it as an ‘assault on the Hindu religion.’ Several Hindu temples, homes, and businesses of the minority community in Bangladesh were destroyed this month amidst the unrest.”

All photos courtesy of Mime Hasan. Story by Priyanka Chandani