QUOTA MOVEMENT

The 2024 Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement is an ongoing anti-government protest in Bangladesh, spearheaded primarily by the students of public and private universities. Initially focused on restructuring discriminatory traditional and quota-based system for government job recruitment, the movement expanded against what many perceive as an authoritarian government when hundreds of protestors and civilians, most of whom were students, were killed.

It began when the Supreme Court of Bangladesh ruling in June 2024 revived a 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters, reversing a 2018 reform. Students felt this limited opportunity based on merit. The protest, which initially began as a response to the quota system and was confined to university campuses, quickly spread throughout the entire country because of the government's heavy-handed violent response, as well as the public's dissatisfaction stemming from enduring oppression under what many perceive as an authoritarian government. The situation was further complicated by several other ongoing issues, like the government's inability to manage a prolonged economic downturn and the absence of democratic channels for initiating change.

The government attempted to suppress the protest by closing all educational institutions, using their student wing, the Chhatra League, against the protestors, deploying Police, Bangladesh Military and border guards, and ultimately declaring a nationwide shoot-at-sight curfew.