Quote:

---

What's behind Bangladesh's protest against PM Sheikh Hasina?
By Sudipto Ganguly
Protest against Bangladeshi PM Hasina, in Dhaka

Aug 5 (Reuters) - Bangladesh is on the boil again with close to 100 people killed on Sunday as protesters, calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, clashed with security forces and supporters of the ruling party.
Last month, at least 150 people were killed and thousands injured in violence touched off by student groups protesting against reserved quotas in government jobs.
Here are details of the new protests and their history:
CALLS FOR HASINA TO STEP DOWN
The 'Students Against Discrimination' group, which was at the forefront of last month's job quota protests, is leading the latest demonstrations.
The protests to reform the quota system paused after the Supreme Court scrapped most quotas on July 21. Protesters, however, returned last week demanding a public apology from Hasina for the violence, restoration of internet connections, reopening of college and university campuses and release of those arrested.
By the weekend, the demonstrations spiralled into a campaign seeking Hasina's ouster as demonstrators demanded justice for people killed last month.
The students' group called for a nationwide non-cooperation movement starting Sunday with a single-point agenda - Hasina must resign.
WHY DO PROTESTERS WANT HASINA'S RESIGNATION?
The protesters blame Hasina's government for the violence during the protests in July. Hasina's critics and rights groups have accused her government of using excessive force against protesters, a charge the government denies.
WHAT HAS HASINA SAID RECENTLY?
Hasina, 76, and her government initially said students were not involved in the violence during the quota protests and blamed the Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for the clashes and arson.
But after violence erupted again on Sunday, Hasina said that "those who are carrying out violence are not students but terrorists who are out to destabilise the nation".
The students group has declined Hasina's offer for talks to resolve the crisis.
WHAT TRIGGERED THE JOB-QUOTA PROTESTS?
Demonstrations started at university campuses in June after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Hasina's government to scrap it.
The Supreme Court suspended the high court order after the government's appeal and then dismissed the lower court order last month, directing that 93% of jobs should be open to candidates on merit.
FLAGGING ECONOMY, UNEMPLOYMENT
Experts also attribute the current unrest in Bangladesh to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs, with their accompanying regular wage hikes and privileges, very attractive.
The quotas sparked anger among students grappling with high youth unemployment, as nearly 32 million young people are out of work or education in a population of 170 million.
The flagging economy, once among the world's fastest growing on the back of the country's booming garments sector, has stagnated. Inflation hovers around 10% per annum and dollar reserves are shrinking.
HASINA WINS JANUARY ELECTION
Hasina retained power for a fourth straight term in a January general election boycotted by BNP, which accused her Awami League of trying to legitimise sham elections.
BNP said 10 million party workers were on the run ahead of the election with nearly 25,000 arrested following deadly anti-government protests on Oct. 28. Hasina blamed the BNP for instigating anti-government protests that rocked Dhaka ahead of the election and left at least 10 people dead.

---

Quote:

---

a public apology from Hasina for the violence, restoration of internet connections, reopening of college and university campuses and release of those arrested.
By the weekend, the demonstrations spiralled into a campaign seeking Hasina's ouster as demonstrators demanded justice for people killed last month.
The students' group called for a nationwide non-cooperation movement starting Sunday with a single-point agenda - Hasina must resign.

---

Quote:

---

a public apology from Hasina for the violence, restoration of internet connections, reopening of college and university campuses and release of those arrested.
By the weekend, the demonstrations spiralled into a campaign seeking Hasina's ouster as demonstrators demanded justice for people killed last month.
The students' group called for a nationwide non-cooperation movement starting Sunday with a single-point agenda - Hasina must resign.

---

Quote:

---

Hasina had previously mentioned that she would have a trouble-free election if she allowed a foreign nation, represented by a white man, to construct an airbase in her country. This raises questions about whether she had anticipated the challenges she would face in the future. The current situation in Bangladesh is being debated as either a domestic issue or part of a global plot. ... The identity of this individual and whether Hasina had any foreknowledge of the events that followed remains unclear

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
IT WAS NOT AN ISLAMO RIOT.
I'm going to repeat myself

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:

Here is a more balanced view of Hasina

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:

Bangladesh had a quota system in place that reserved 30% of government (civil service) jobs for relatives of soldiers who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
IT WAS NOT AN ISLAMO RIOT.
I'm going to repeat myself

JAYNZE: This event is no reason to kiss the ass of islam

---

Quote:

---

JAYNZE there might be reasons 'government quota' or 'commodity costs' or students debts or banks or 'no jobs for students' and 'inflation'
However the true overall picture of a mob can not be ignored, this could be more than a type of 'Arab Spring'

I see plenty of people dressed up in islamic dress and jihad costume

---

Quote:

---

JAYNZE ... some dressed like trendy Hindu India style students

---

Quote:

---

JAYNZE You always suck from the stinking diseased anus of the islamic

---

Quote:

---

JAYNZE: You normally apologize for Russia's attacks inside Ukraine saying Putin has reaons but even blame the USA for islamic jihadi attacks inside Russia which both the West and Russia and Muslim world say was an islamist attack and Russians themselves say they were sent footage of islamics taking credit, arresting jihad islamics

---

Quote:

---

You seem to keep forgetting that I have called you an islamist apologist

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:

bringing up shit from literally centuries ago, as if a people and religion can't change.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:

You're speaking from extreme fear. Why?

---

Quote:

---

Hindu homes, temples targeted in Bangladesh after Hasina ouster, minority group says
By Ruma Paul and Krishna N. Das
August 6, 20247:27 AM PDTUpdated 3 hours ago

DHAKA, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Hindu houses, businesses and temples have been vandalised since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a community association said on Tuesday, and mainly Hindu India said it was worried about the incidents.
Hindus constitute about 8% of Bangladesh's 170 million people and have historically largely supported Hasina's Awami League party, which identifies as largely secular, instead of the opposition bloc that includes a hardline Islamist party.

Neighbouring India, now sheltering Hasina after she fled on Monday from deadly protests after 15 years in power, said what was "particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations".

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) said 200-300 mainly Hindu homes and businesses had been vandalised since Monday, and 15-20 Hindu temples damaged. Up to 40 people have been injured though not seriously, its general secretary, Rana Dasgupta, told Reuters.

"The communal atrocities erupted hours before she resigned," he said. "Although there is no killing, there is injury. Houses and businesses of minorities, especially [but not limited to?] Hindus , as well as temples, have been targeted, looted, damaged."

Dasgupta said some people he could not identify had thrown a brick at his car when he was out on the road on Monday in the southeastern district of Chattogram.
"I stand against communal atrocities and will not stop," he said. "Until my death, I shall fight for them. I may not be able to physically protect them, but I can give them courage. I may not be able to resist attacks, but I can protest."

Reuters could not verify the scale of reported incidents amid the post-Hasina turmoil and police officers did not answer calls from Reuters seeking comment after mobs attacked many police stations.

"The situation is horrific," said Manindra Kumar Nath, a Hindu community leader. "Even today, we are getting calls from people asking us to save their lives, but we are not receiving any support from anywhere."

The military's media office said security forces were helping maintain law and order across the South Asian nation, without specifying any incidents.

"Everyone's cooperation is highly desired in this regard," it said in a statement.

Students who led the protests against Hasina that have killed nearly 300 people since July have repeatedly urged people not to target minority communities in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. But Hindu community leaders said they were feeling vulnerable because of the lack of a functioning government.
The army chief has promised an interim government soon, while the students have said they want Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus as the chief adviser to the interim government.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:


The protesters were not Islamic fundamentalists.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:

I wonder if it's the same here.

---