Bangladesh Students Demand PM Hasina’s Resignation Amid Protests
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, student protests have taken a new turn as demonstrators now call for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. The protests, which began over quotas in government jobs, have evolved into a nationwide civil disobedience campaign.
The group Students Against Discrimination, led by Nahid Islam, has rejected an offer of talks with Hasina. Islam stated, “She must resign and she must face trial.”
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury reported that the movement has become a public one, with people from all walks of life joining the protests. Clashes between protesters and police have occurred in the Gazipur and Comilla districts.
Prime Minister Hasina has invited protest leaders to meet her at her official residence, Ganabhaban, and has appointed three senior officials to negotiate with the protesters. She expressed her desire to avoid conflict and listen to the students.
The protests began over a quota scheme that reserved more than half of all government jobs for certain groups, which was scaled back by Bangladesh’s top court. This move has disappointed graduates facing high unemployment rates.
The protests were largely peaceful until police and pro-government student groups attacked demonstrators. The government imposed a nationwide curfew, deployed troops, and shut down the mobile internet network for 11 days to restore order.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated that security forces operated with restraint but were “forced to open fire” to defend government buildings. The crackdown has resulted in at least 200 deaths, including 32 children, and hundreds of injuries.
UN experts and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have called for an end to the violent crackdown and accountability for human rights violations. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk urged the government to disclose details about the crackdown and provide information to the families of those killed, injured, or detained.
Doubts Revealed
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country in South Asia, located to the east of India. It has a lot of rivers and is known for its rich culture and history.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina -: Sheikh Hasina is the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She is a political leader and has been in power for several years.
resignation -: Resignation means to leave a job or position. In this case, students want the Prime Minister to leave her job.
protests -: Protests are when people gather to show they are unhappy about something. They might carry signs, shout slogans, or march in the streets.
government job quotas -: Government job quotas are rules that reserve a certain number of jobs for specific groups of people. In Bangladesh, students were unhappy with how these jobs were being given out.
civil disobedience campaign -: A civil disobedience campaign is when people refuse to follow certain laws or rules to show they disagree with them. They do this in a peaceful way.
clashes -: Clashes are fights or conflicts. In this case, it means that the protesters and the police have been fighting.
UN -: UN stands for the United Nations. It is an international organization that works to promote peace and cooperation between countries.
EU -: EU stands for the European Union. It is a group of countries in Europe that work together on various issues like trade and security.
accountability -: Accountability means being responsible for your actions. The UN and EU want the Bangladeshi government to take responsibility for the violence.