ON JUNE 5, a High Court bench declared illegal a government circular issued in 2018, which abolished the 30 per cent quota for the dependents of the freedom fighters. In protest, students from all institutions — schools to universities — started a non-violent movement, which was made violent by the attack on the protesters by the Chhatra League and the police. The recent killing of the protesters, including the cold-blooded killing of the Begum Rokeya University student, Abu Sayeed, made things go out of hand. The government could have easily solved the issue by accepting the demands of the students, which are found to be reasonable even by our highest judiciary. Instead, it continued its unreasonable hardline approach, which claimed the lives of at least 184 people so far, for which it must take responsibility.

The quota reform movement, which received widespread support not only from students but also from people of all walks of life, should be viewed as an expression of the serious discontents that are prevailing in the country. The discontent arises from the fact that the ruling party, during its reign of the last 15 years, failed to deliver many of its commitments. To begin with, it blatantly reneged on the commitments it made in its election manifesto titled Dinbadaler Sanad (Charter for Change), which included:

‘Multi-pronged measures to fight corruption will be put into place. Powerful people will have to submit wealth statements annually. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate bribery, extortion, rent-seeking and corruption. Strong measures will be taken against those having unearned and black money, against loan defaulters, tender manipulators, and users of muscle power in every stage of state and society. State or private monopoly will be broken up. Discretionary power of officials will be curtailed. To establish people’s rights, citizens’ charters will be introduced in every department. Opportunities for corruption will be eliminated or minimised through widespread computerization… Genuine independence and impartiality of the judiciary will be ensured. Extrajudicial killings will be stopped… Rule of law will be established.

‘The Human Rights Commission will be strengthened and made effective, and an Ombudsman will be appointed. Human rights will be strictly enforced… The on-going reform programme of the Election Commission and electoral system will continue. The parliament will be made effective and the government will be made accountable for all its activities. The wealth statement and source of income of the Prime Minister, members of the cabinet, parliament members and their family members will be made public every year. Except for some specific subjects related to the security of the state, parliament members will be allowed to express differing opinions… Courtesy and tolerance will be inculcated in the political culture of the country. Militancy and extortion will be banned. Awami League will take initiative to formulate a consensual and unanimous charter of political behaviour… Administration will be free from politicisation and will be pro-people. Efficiency, seniority and merit will be the basis of appointment and promotion in public service. Administrative reform, the right to information and e-governance will be introduced.

‘In order to provide security to every citizen of the country, police and other law enforcement agencies will be kept above political influence… Union, upazilla and district Councils will be strengthened through decentralisation of power. District councils will be transformed into centres for implementation of programmes on education and health and all other development plans and programmes, and for maintenance of law and order. Every union will be made the headquarter for development and administration of the area and be developed as a planned rural township… The freedom of all types of mass media and free flow of information will be ensured… Persecution and intimidation of journalists will be stopped. All false cases against them will be withdrawn.’

Clearly, in the last 15 years the government did just the opposite of what it promised, which seriously undermined its credibility. The situation turned so bad in a couple of years that the late Justice Habibur Rahman, who was the chief adviser of the 99 caretaker government, lamented publicly that the country was in the hands of the bajikars (goons).

Regrettably, the downward slide continued over the past 15 years. The repression of the political opposition and the dissenting voices got out of control in recent years. Our electoral system is also largely destroyed, depriving people of their voting rights and, in the process, destroying the accountability structure that goes with a democratic polity. Cronyism, corruption, looting and plundering, flight of capital and price hikes have been continuing almost unabated. Consequently, many Bangladeshis have become genuinely and seriously disaffected, and I am afraid that at least some of them were on the street with the students in the last few days, when serious violence erupted. While we condemn the violence and the loss of life, I am afraid that the days of non-violent movement in Bangladesh may be over after the events of October 28, 2023, and the recent attacks by the Chhatra League and the police of unarmed students. I sincerely pray and hope that I am wrong.

I feel that we as a nation are now at a crossroads. The government has two options: continue the hardline approach and quell protests with force, which may only postpone the day of reckoning. It may only be a matter of time before something worse happens. The alternative will be to initiate a dialogue with all the stakeholders, including the political parties, to come to a permanent solution of the underlying issues, including restoring people’s voting rights. As a senior citizen and someone who played a role during the period leading to our war of liberation and spent the last 30 years to create a better future for our people, I urge the government, with all the emphasis I can muster, to realise that not only their own future, but the future of 170 million Bangladeshis is also now seriously at stake.

Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar is secretary of SHUJAN: Citizens for Good Governance.