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Public protests in Bangladesh against government hiring practices — and against the government’s military response to those protests — have left at least 174 dead and 2,500 jailed. Bangladesh’s people face an acute jobs and unemployment crisis, so public disagreements over hiring practices carry significant weight. The regime recently enforced a nationwide internet blackout as part of the crackdown, even as protest leaders signaled a willingness to negotiate, stating that their protest was not worth “so much blood.” The rapid escalation of violence has alarmed international watchdogs and observers.
Watch the above video as Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan dives into the politics and protests in Bangladesh and explains what this means for the rest of the world.
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The following is an excerpt from Peter’s July 23 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
There have been significant protests in Bangladesh over a law reserving a significant portion of government jobs for supporters of the 1971 independence revolution and their descendants. The job quota has been suspended, but protests continue.
For context, Bangladesh has a young population of over 100 million and accounts for nearly a tenth of the global textile supply. The current protests revolve around the chokehold on opportunities that this job quota has caused, forcing many college grads into low-wage textile jobs or something of similar stature.
The protesters have been met with curfews, arrests and worse, but it appears they will continue to push back against the government. Depending on the resolution of these protests, the Bangladeshi textile sector could be in trouble… which would be amplified by the technological advances hitting the industry.
