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.
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