Bangladesh still without internet as things calm down after deadly protests

Jul 22, 2024

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Bangladesh is without internet for a fifth day and the government declared Monday, July 22, a public holiday. Leaders made the move to stay in control as tensions deescalated after last week’s deadly protests.

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On Sunday, July 21, the country’s high court scaled back a controversial system for awarding government jobs, which sparked violent protests. Officials ultimately implemented a curfew and gave the military shoot-on-sight orders for those disobeying the curfew.

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The clashes started with protesters, mainly students, demanding the government to end a quota that set aside 30% of government jobs for family members of “freedom fighters.” The freedom fighters fought in the country’s war for independence in 1971.

Under the high court’s Sunday ruling, only 5% of government jobs will be saved for freedom fighters’ families. That means 93% of civil service jobs in Bangladesh will now be filled through a merit-based system, which is what protesters called for. The remaining 2% of jobs will be reserved for members of ethnic minorities as well as transgender and disabled people.

Local news sources say at least 100 people died after the protests turned violent. However, the government has not released an official number.

Tags: Bangladesh, Jobs, Protests

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

BANGLADESH IS WITHOUT INTERNET FOR A FIFTH DAY AND THE GOVERNMENT DECLARED MONDAY A PUBLIC HOLIDAY – AS AUTHORITIES STAY IN CONTROL EVEN THOUGH THINGS HAVE SEEMINGLY CALMED DOWN AFTER LAST WEEK’S DEADLY PROTESTS.

SUNDAY – THE COUNTRY’S HIGH COURT SCALED BACK A CONTROVERSIAL SYSTEM FOR AWARDING GOVERNMENT JOBS… WHICH SPARKED VIOLENT PROTESTS THAT CULMINATED IN A CURFEW AND THE MILITARY BEING GIVEN SHOOT-ON-SIGHT ORDERS.

THE CLASHES STARTED WITH PROTESTERS – MAINLY STUDENTS – DEMANDING BANGLADESH’S GOVERNMENT END A QUOTA THAT SET ASIDE 30 PERCENT OF GOVERNMENT JOBS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF “FREEDOM FIGHTERS”.

THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS WERE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT IN THE COUNTRY’S WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE IN 19-71.

UNDER THE HIGH COURT’S SUNDAY RULING – NOW ONLY 5 PERCENT OF GOVERNMENT JOBS WILL BE SAVED FOR FREEDOM FIGHTERS’ FAMILIES.

THAT MEANS 93 PERCENT OF CIVIL SERVICE JOBS IN BANGLADESH WILL NOW BE FILLED VIA A MERIT-BASED SYSTEM… WHICH IS WHAT PROTESTERS WERE CALLING FOR.

THE REMAINING 2 PERCENT OF JOBS WILL BE RESERVED FOR MEMBERS OF ETHNIC MINORITIES… AS WELL AS TRANSGENDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE.

LOCALS NEWS SOURCES SAY AT LEAST A HUNDRED PEOPLE DIED AFTER THE PROTESTS TURNED VIOLENT – THOUGH, THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT RELEASED AND OFFICIAL NUMBER.