In the wake of the harrowing Bangladesh Political Crisis 2024, the nation partially restored telecommunication services on Wednesday, albeit with slow internet connections and the suspension of social media platforms. The development comes in the aftermath of violent protests against reservations for government jobs, which tragically resulted in the loss of nearly 150 lives.
Following a period of relative calm since Sunday’s pivotal Supreme Court decision to reduce reservations for various job categories to 7%, overturning a previous high court ruling advocating for a 56% quota reinstatement in government positions abolished in 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration declared its compliance with the apex court’s ruling.
As demonstrations against the contentious quotas, including a 30% reservation for descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 war of independence, gradually subsided, the government initiated the loosening of curfew restrictions imposed in the preceding week. Wednesday heralded a relaxation window of seven hours, with office operations scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as confirmed by officials.
The streets of the capital city, Dhaka, witnessed a semblance of normalcy with residents commuting to work, and public transportation services gradually resuming operations—a stark departure from the scenes of violent confrontations that marred the city in recent days.
In a bid to address the demands of protesting students, who delivered a fresh 48-hour ultimatum to fulfill additional conditions aligned with an articulated eight-point list of demands, demonstrations remain ongoing with a pledge to determine the subsequent course of action post the ultimatum expiry on Thursday.
Protest coordinator Nahid Islam articulated the group’s requisites, emphasizing the necessity for the government to meet the demands, which include the restoration of internet services, withdrawal of police presence from educational institutions, and the reopening of universities that have remained shuttered for a week.
The protest movement, spurred by the controversial court ruling, underscores the simmering socio-political tensions prevalent in the nation of 170 million inhabitants, with a significant portion of youth grappling with unemployment and limited educational opportunities.
Amidst escalating unrest, Prime Minister Hasina attributed the violence to her political adversaries, dismissing claims of involvement by the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Expressing her commitment to restoring peace, Hasina assured that the curfew measures would be lifted when conditions warrant a respite from the prevailing turmoil.
The crisis has prompted neighboring countries in the region to initiate evacuations of their citizens from the strife-torn nation, with India and Malaysia among the countries undertaking the evacuation efforts to safeguard their nationals from the escalating unrest and associated risks.
The ramifications of the Bangladesh Political Crisis 2024 reverberate across the South Asian landscape, underscoring the urgent imperative for constructive dialogue, reconciliation, and concerted efforts to address the grievances fueling the upheaval, safeguarding the nation’s stability and the well-being of its diverse populace.