Deep Dive | Bangladesh Crisis: Nobel Laureate Yunus Steps in as Chief Adviser

3 months ago

Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus steps in as the chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This shift comes after weeks of intense student protests over the controversial War Heroes quota, a system that had grown to overshadow merit-based recruitment. The unrest, which began peacefully, escalated into violent clashes, leaving over 300 dead and leading to a nationwide internet shutdown. The Supreme Court's decision to reduce the quota failed to satisfy protesters, who organized a "Long March to Dhaka," ultimately forcing Hasina to flee the country.

Script & Reporter: Rani Jana
Editor: Ehraz Zaman

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Transcript

00:00Sheikh Haseena's resignation as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh marks a shift in the

00:05country's political landscape.

00:08This was triggered by student protests.

00:10But what ignited this unrest?

00:14Welcome to Deep Dive with Outlook.

00:16Today we look at the student protests in Bangladesh and Sheikh Haseena's resignation.

00:21Central to these protests were the War Heroes Quota, a system originally introduced in 1972

00:28to honour freedom fighters from Bangladesh's Liberation War.

00:34In 1997, the War Heroes Quota was extended to the children of freedom fighters, and in

00:402010, it was further extended to their grandchildren.

00:44The total percentage of quotas in all categories came up to 56%, while only 44% recruitment

00:52was merit-based.

00:54The protests, which began peacefully, soon became violent.

00:59By July 16, clashes between students and state forces, starting with the then-ruling party's

01:04Student Wing and the police.

01:07Amnesty International said police used excessive force, with paramilitary troops deployed across

01:12major cities.

01:14The violence resulted in over 300 deaths, and the government's response was a 10-days-long

01:20internet shutdown.

01:21Following the unrest, the Bangladeshi Supreme Court on July 21 ordered the scaling back

01:28of the quota system, reducing the reservation for the war veterans from 30% to 5%.

01:35This order also paved the way for 93% of merit-based recruitment.

01:41However, Bangladeshi students were unhappy with the apex court's decision to retain

01:46job reservations for children of war veterans.

01:49On August 5, protesters organized a long march to Dhaka, demanding the resignation

01:55of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

01:58Amidst the chaos, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country.

02:03Protesters stormed her Dhaka residence, and the army stepped in to form an interim government.

02:08The resignation marked the end of Hasina's 15-year tenure.

02:12The interim government must now restore order.

02:16Protesters demand justice for those killed and the resignation of officials responsible

02:21for the crackdown.

02:22Meanwhile, the country is left with lawlessness and political uncertainty.

Deep Dive | Bangladesh Crisis: Nobel Laureate Yunus Steps in as Chief Adviser

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