Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh has canceled her diplomatic trip to Brazil amidst significant unrest in her country due to student-led demonstrations against public job quotas. These quotas, favoring families who fought for independence from Pakistan in 1971, have reignited tensions and led to 114 fatalities. The government imposed a curfew and shut down key institutions to control the escalating violence.
This turbulent period following Hasina’s fourth-term re-election reflects underlying issues like youth unemployment among the nation’s 171 million citizens. With internet connections severed and the military mobilized to suppress protests, Bangladesh faces a severe crisis.
In Narsingdi district, protesters freed over 850 inmates from a jail, further intensifying the chaos. The harsh government response has drawn global criticism, with rights organizations expressing concerns over excessive suppression of dissent.
The unrest has impacted regional dynamics as well, with nearly 1,000 Indian students fleeing back to India. The roots of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence lie in preserving cultural identity, combating economic exploitation, and addressing political marginalization, catalyzed by severe human rights abuses during the country’s separation from Pakistan.