Dhaka, July 19: Bangladeshi students set fire to the state broadcaster on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on it to address deadly clashes that killed at least 39 persons over a quota system for government jobs.
Hundreds of protesters, demanding civil service hiring reforms, fought with riot police who fired rubber bullets. The angry crowd chased retreating officers to BTV’s headquarters in Dhaka, setting fire to the reception building and dozens of parked vehicles.
Rights groups accused Hasina’s government of abusing state institutions to solidify its power and suppress dissent, including through extrajudicial killings of opposition activists.
This week, her administration ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police intensified efforts to control the worsening law and order situation.
Protester Bidisha Rimjhim, 18, told AFP, “Our first demand is that the prime minister must apologise to us. Secondly, justice must be ensured for our killed brothers.”
The demonstrations are taking place due to the quota system that allocates up to 30% of government jobs to relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.
Protesters seek to abolish this system, claiming it is discriminatory and favours supporters of PM Hasina’s Awami League party, which led the independence movement. They advocate for a merit-based system instead.
Despite growth in some private sector job opportunities, many prefer government jobs for stability and better pay. However, there are not enough to meet demand—around 400,000 graduates compete for about 3,000 civil service jobs yearly.
While the quota system also reserves jobs for women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities, students primarily protest the jobs reserved for veterans’ families.
