Bangladesh students initially protested peacefully against the country’s traditional quota system for sought-after government jobs within campuses on 5 June.
The protests calmed down after the Aidiladha celebrations but resumed on 7 July when students staged a blockade to demand the quota be rescinded.
However, the protest quickly spread all over the country after the government took a heavy-handed approach to dealing with protesters resulting in deaths.
When the protests showed no slowing down and the death toll continued climbing, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave soldiers shoot-on-sight orders and imposed a curfew.
Pergaduhan besar sedang melanda pelajar-pelajar universiti di Bangladesh yang setakat ini telah menyebabkan 39 kematian yang dilaporkan.
Ketidaksefahaman berlaku antara pelajar pro kerajaan dan pelajar yang tidak sokong kerajaan.
Video menunjukkan pelajar-pelajar yang… pic.twitter.com/4jK9s2NZEn
— MYNEWSHUB (@mynewshub) July 19, 2024
A nationwide internet blackout since Thursday drastically limited the flow of information to the outside world and local news couldn’t update anything.
The politicised quota system in Bangladesh was abolished in 2018 but the court reinstated it last month.
The quota originally reserves 30% of all government jobs for the children of “freedom fighters” from the country’s 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.
The protests accelerated the hearing scheduled for 7 August and resulted in new percentages allotted for the quota.
The current quota breakdown is 5% of all government jobs for the children of freedom fighters, 1% for tribal communities, and 1% for people with disabilities or identifying as third gender under Bangladeshi law. The remaining 93% of positions will be decided on merit.
It’s believed that the quota reserved for children of freedom fighters is used to curry favour from loyalists to Hasina’s ruling Awami League.
Malaysian students in Bangladesh face hurdles getting to safety
As of 19 July, Wisma Putra mentioned that the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka reported that all Malaysian students in Dhaka are currently safe. There are 95 students in Bangladesh and two have recently left Dhaka with the assistance of the High Commission.
Efforts are underway to assist the return of four students from Mymensingh Medical College to Malaysia while a group of students were relocated to temporary accommodation.
It also advised students not to be fooled by anyone offering to help get them out of the country and to check the aid status with the operation room by dialling 03-8887 4570 or emailing [email protected].
Students were also reminded to avoid protest zones, stay alert, and follow the curfew orders.
The latest update from Wisma Putra on 21 July said it’s working with the High Commission to consider all options, including evacuation if necessary.
TRP has reached out to Wisma Putra for comments.
PRESS RELEASE: LATEST UPDATE ON MALAYSIANS IN BANGLADESH pic.twitter.com/LbIFyyUNom
— Wisma Putra (@MalaysiaMFA) July 21, 2024
Unfortunately, some Malaysian students allegedly had difficulty getting help from the embassy to evacuate campuses before Wisma Putra’s official statement.
A group of 20 female students of Dhaka Dental College had difficulty getting aid because the embassy said it lacked a budget.
The students were allegedly told to return to Malaysia by their own means. Since getting a homestay was expensive, they managed to reach a contact at KPJ Hospital in Gazipur.
The embassy told the students to use an Uber to get to Gazipur. After pressure from the students, the embassy agreed to arrange transport to Gazipur for the students and for two embassy representatives to accompany them.
Another Twitter user claimed that a friend studying in Bangladesh said about a hundred Malaysian students are still stranded.
Ini yang berlaku pada 20 pelajar perempuan dari Dhaka Dental College. Pelajar dari kolej lain semua masih ada di kediaman / hostel masing masing. Sangat merisaukan pic.twitter.com/HyK9wDPnkU
— Akmal Azizan (@akmalazizan8) July 21, 2024
Korang, tadi kawan I yang belajar di Bangladesh called. Dia cakap keadaan dekat sana makin memburuk dan ada lebih kurang 100 orang pelajar Malaysia yang stranded there.
Dah minta bantuan ke embassy tapi embassy kata tak duit nak bawa pulang semua pelajar.
Guys tolong
— Shakila schön (@markonahajis) July 20, 2024
