‘We are Razakars’: In Bangladesh, youth protesting a quota for jobs openly call Hasina an ‘autocrat’
Students and job seekers fear they are being deprived of opportunities by a 30% quota for family members of freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War.
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On Sunday night thousands of students marched through the Dhaka University campus in Bangladesh chanting a provocative slogan that translates to, “Who are you? Who are you? I am Razakar, I am Razakar.”
“Razakar” is a deeply offensive term in Bangladesh, akin to the word “quisling” in the Western world. It refers to those who collaborated with the Pakistani military during Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war, a betrayal of their country and a cause they should have upheld.
The students were protesting against a remark by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a press conference earlier that day.
Since July, university campuses across Bangladesh have been gripped by protests that have disrupted academic activities and daily life in the capital. The demonstrations are in response to a High Court ruling in June that reinstated a controversial quota system for government jobs.
Students and job seekers fear that they are being deprived of opportunities by a 30% quota for family members of freedom fighters of the 1971 Bangladeshi Liberation War. They are also suspicious about the accuracy of the list and feel that many individuals might unfairly benefit from this provision.
This quota system, which was abolished in 2018 following widespread protests, has rekindled anger and frustration among young job seekers.
During Sunday’s press conference at Hasina’s residence, the prime...
