The Present Situation in Bangladesh: A Story of Power and Abuse

Today I want to talk about the present situation happening in Bangladesh. This is an age-old story of power — the struggle for power — and a tell-tale sign of what happens when somebody has too much of it.

So, without further ado, let’s go into the details.

Sheikh Hasina and Her Rule

Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Here are some key facts about her:

She rules the country with an iron fist, like a dictator.

She has killed and kidnapped most opposition leaders.

Bangladesh has no real opposition party because of her.

She has rigged almost five elections — and won all five.

She controls the Supreme Court and the judicial system.

The Quota System and Its Roots

Now, how does the quota movement come into play?

The quota system is a very old system in Bangladesh. As far as I know, it has been around since 1971.

Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib) — the founder of Bangladesh and leader of the Awami League (BAL). During the Liberation War of 1971, the quota system was introduced.

From 1971 till 2024, what has happened is this:

The children of freedom fighters benefited first.

Now, their grandchildren and even extended relatives continue to get government jobs through quotas.

In reality, this quota system is just a mechanism to ensure that people from the same ideological perspective as the Awami League always secure government jobs. Since the Awami League led the liberation of Bangladesh, this system has been maintained to protect their dominance.

Currently, 56% of government jobs are reserved under quotas. That includes women and disabled people (which nobody really has a problem with), but the freedom fighters’ descendants take up the bulk.

So imagine this: you complete your bachelor’s, then your master’s, and try to get a government job — the most secure kind of job in Bangladesh. But the system is rigged against normal people. That’s why students across Bangladesh have started protesting this month.

Abuse of Power and Student Protests

This is what abuse of power looks like.

Hasina’s affiliated student organization, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), acts as an extension of the Awami League. They don’t have judicial power — they’re just goons who beat people on the streets.

Along with the Chhatra League, Hasina uses:

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) — a force notorious for human rights violations and sanctioned globally. Officers affiliated with RAB are banned from visas in many countries, including Australia.

The police — who in Bangladesh serve the ruling government, not the people.

So, the students protesting against the unfair quota system are being killed and tortured by BCL, RAB, and the police.

The army has been deployed, a nationwide curfew is in place, and for days, people have had no internet access. News and social media are censored, only allowed to report what the government wants. Student leaders are being detained.

The Death Toll

At least 150 people have been killed, and between 1,000 to 20,000 have been injured, depending on different reports.

And what were they demanding? A fair system. That’s all.

I’ve seen videos on Telegram that are horrifying. Students are being shot in broad daylight. One student, Abu Saeed from Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur (my hometown), was shot. His killer will probably be identified, but nothing will happen. That’s Bangladesh.

Bodies are being left on the street. People trying to carry the injured to safety are shot too. These images are shocking, but they are the reality of Bangladesh right now.

Empty Promises and No Accountability

After all this bloodshed, the government has announced they will reduce the quota to 7% for freedom fighters and their families. But who will hold them accountable for the 150 lives lost?

The truth about Bangladesh is that nothing gets solved. The judicial system is in Hasina’s pocket, the media is silenced, and the people are powerless.

Bangladesh is supposed to be a democracy, but everyone knows that’s a lie.

Final Thoughts

I feel angry and hopeless. Probably, Hasina will never be held accountable for the terrible things she has done. She has already won five elections, all rigged, and the people are exhausted. They’re frustrated but have no alternative — no other party to vote for.

Honestly, she should resign.

This has been my rant about the quota system and the present situation in Bangladesh. I’ll probably make more videos on this topic to show how Hasina is destroying the country and its future. I’m also thinking of creating a website to track down the killers of students, whether they are from the police, RAB, or BCL.

But right now, I just feel broken.

(loom link redacted) From my loom video-(archived)