Communicating with the World: Bangladesh’s Recent Student Protests
Amidst the recent surge of violent protests in Bangladesh sparked by university students demanding government job reforms, the Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has taken a proactive step to communicate with foreign diplomats. He has urged them not to make any public statements regarding the country’s current situation.
After the Bangladesh Supreme Court ordered a reduction in the job quota system from 57% to just 7%, the country witnessed five days of turmoil resulting in over 150 casualties. The government imposed a curfew and internet blackout to control the escalating protests.
Foreign Minister Mahmud, accompanied by delegates from 49 foreign missions, visited damaged government facilities to showcase the extent of vandalism that occurred during the unrest. Foreign diplomats expressed their support and acknowledged the situation as an internal matter of Bangladesh.
Addressing concerns about misinformation abroad, Mahmud highlighted the efforts of an anti-independence coalition and assured that the Ministry of Home Affairs is gathering details on the casualties. He emphasized the need to combat false narratives being propagated against the nation.