Tazreena Sajjad in The Conversation:
The protests stem from long-running resentment over a quota system that saw 56% of government positions in Bangladesh reserved for various groups, including 30% for the descendants of freedom fighters who fought in the 1971 War of Independence.
This quota system has proved an enormous barrier to highly coveted civil service positions for the country’s large youth population, many of whom are unemployed.
It had also become a subject of controversy due to how many of those quota jobs went to supporters of the ruling Awami League party.
Under immense pressure from an earlier student mobilization over the issue, Hasina abolished the entire quota system in 2018.
But in June 2024, the country’s high court ruled that move illegal, sparking a fresh round of protests across the country.
More here.
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