Student Movement 2024/July

Revolution
MD. SAIFUL ISLAM, COURT INSPECTOR, ACC

Quota or merit? Merit! Merit!"

—--Slogan of July Revolution

The 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, also known as the July
Revolution,was a series of anti-government and pro-democracy protestsin
Bangladesh, spearheaded primarily by university students.Initially focused on
restructuring quota-based systems for government job recruitment, the movement
expanded against what many perceive as an authoritarian government when they
carried out the July massacre of protestors and civilians, most of whom were
students.

Overview of Quota Reform Movement:

Date: 6 June – 5 August 2024

Location Bangladesh and abroad

:
Caused by Reinstatement of the
: pre-2018 quota system
in government jobs
following the
Bangladesh High
Court's declaration of
the 2018 circular as
illegal.
 Goals: Initially focused on
quota reform, it later
became a
non-cooperation
movement demanding
the Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasinas'
resignation.

Methods ● Protests
● Public
demonstrations
● Traffic
obstruction
● Picketing
● Sitdown strikes
● Occupation
● Rail obstruction
● Internet activism
● Lawsuits
● Civil strife
● Riots
● Arson
● Vandalism
● Assault
● Looting
● Remittance
boycott
Resulted in : Successful

Background:
After the High Court ruled in favor of quotas on 5 June 2024, the students of
various universities in Dhaka united to demand a quota reform movement. After
the movement was initially started, it was postponed due to Eid al-Adha and the
summer holidays. After the holidays, the agitation started again peacefully but
gradually became widespread. Initially, the students and teachers of many public
universities and other educational institutions joined the movement.Later, the
students of private universities also followed suit by joining the public
demonstration.Under the banner of Anti-discrimination Students Movement
Bengali)students started the Bangla Blockade. During the movement, the Appellate
Division issued a status quo for four weeks on 10 July, canceling the freedom
fighters' quota. Reacting to the court verdict, the students said they are seeking a
final solution to the quota issue from the government, claiming the movement has
nothing to do with the court. The protest also affected the domestic train and road
transportation networks across Bangladesh.
Peaceful demonstrations by the students restarted on 1 July, while public university
teachers declared a strike protesting the new Universal Pension Scheme,causing
universities to close. Demonstrations spread nationwide as the movement became
headed by a newly formed Anti-discrimination Students Movement, an umbrella
organisation for the student protesters. On July 7, protestors launched the
nationwide Bangla Blockade, obstructing traffic and rail in major cities and
metropolises including Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Rangpur, Rajshahi,
and Bogura.While the Appellate Division ordered a four-week status quo regarding
the quota on 10 July, protesters continued to demand a solution from the
government.Protests turned violent for the first time the next day as the police
clashed with the students. On 14 July, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made
controversial remarks about the anti-quota protests, escalating the situation and
raising the public's anger. On 15 July, the ruling Awami League solidified its stance
against the demonstrations, and the protestors met first violent suppression from
the Chhatra League leaving several hundred injured. In response to the Chhatra
League attacks, student protesters at Rajshahi University vandalized halls, targeting
the room of the President of RU Chhatra League and other members associated
with the group.The protesters in Dhaka University removed Chhatra League
members from 11 different halls and declared a ban on the pro-quota student
organization.At other universities across the country, students expelled Chhatra
League members from their campuses,with some members in Chittagong even
being thrown from high rooftops by angry protesters during clashes.These actions
led to many campuses independently declaring themselves "Chhatra League Free".

Demands:

Initial demands:
“Break down the shackles of those quotas"
—--Slogan of July Revolution

The Anti-discrimination Students Movement put forward the following demands to

the government:
● Cancellation of the existing quota system for government jobs.
● Provision of the quota at fair rates to minority groups and disabled people.
● Passing a new law in the parliament which establishes a new quota system
for a maximum of 5% of total jobs.

After nationwide violence:

In response to the violent protests involving members of the Chhatra League and
police forces, the Anti-discrimination Students' Movement issued a revised
nine-point demand. The demands include:
1. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should publicly apologize, and take
responsibility for the deaths of students during the protests.
2. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Road Transport and Bridges
Minister Obaidul Quader should resign from their cabinet positions and
party roles for their alleged roles in using law enforcement and Chhatra
League to carry out violence against the protesters.
3. Deputy inspectors general of police, police commissioners, and
superintendents of police in the areas where student casualties occurred must
be dismissed from their posts.
4. The vice-chancellors and proctors of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar
University, and Rajshahi University must resign due to their inadequate
response to the violence against students.
 5. There should be a nationwide ban on the Awami League's student wing
Bangladesh Chhatra League in all educational institutions in Bangladesh.
6. Policemen, law enforcement officers, army/military officials and any
individuals involved in the attacks should be arrested and held accountable
according to the laws.
7. Financial compensation should be provided to the families of students who
were killed or injured during the protests.
8. All educational institutions and student residential halls should be reopened
immediately.
9. Law enforcement officers, including armed forces and other security
personnel, should be withdrawn from all educational institutions to ensure a
peaceful environment.

Revised one-point demand:

Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement,
announced a non-Cooperation Movement and that from 3 August, the movement's
sole demand will be the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her
cabinet.He announced it in a mass rally held at the Central Shaheed Minar in
Dhaka.

Casualties and damages:

Casualties:
The mass killings carried out by the law enforcement agencies were described as
"July massacre" in various sources. A preliminary report by the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published on 16 August
2024 stated that more than 400 fatalities were reported nationwide between 16 July
and 4 August, mainly due to violence carried out by state forces such as the
Bangladesh Police, RAB, BGB and Army, as well as the Chhatra League. The
report stated that restrictions on communication and state interference in hospitals
make this figure an undercount.According to UNICEF, at least 32 children died
during the protest crackdown surrounding the protests and unrest in July. Prothom
Alo found that out of the 354 people killed it had counted during the protests, 39
were children.

During Bangla Blockade:

Six people were reported killed on 17 July: Md. Shahjahan, a 25-year-old hawker
from the New Market area;Md. Farooq, a 32-year-old employee of a furniture
shop; Md. Wasim Akram, a 22-year-old student of the Sociology Department at
Chittagong College and an activist of Chatra Dal;Faisal Ahmed Shanto, a
24-year-old student of Omargani M.E.S. College;Sabuj Ali, a 25-year-old member
of the Chhatra League and a student of Dhaka College;and most notably, Abu
Sayed, a 25-year-old student of the Department of English at Begum Rokeya
University.

During Complete Shutdown:

At least eleven people were reported killed on 18 July,] of which only three of
which have had their names released: Siyam, an 18-year old worker at a battery
shop in Gulistan;Dipta Dey, a 21-year-old second-year student of Madaripur
Government College; and Farhan Faiyaz, a 17-year-old student of Dhaka
Residential Model College.
Another four were killed in a clash between the police at Uttara, including two
students of Northern University, while one was killed in Narsingdi in a clash
between police and students.

Damages:
The movement resulted in huge damage of various state properties in Bangladesh.
According to a report by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, at least thirty major state
establishments experienced arson and severe damage. The state broadcaster,
Bangladesh Television (BTV), was attacked and set on fire on 18 July 2024. The
building suffered extensive damage, with several sections completely burnt.Sheikh
Hasina visited the site and expressed deep sorrow over the incident.A major data
center in Dhaka was set on fire, causing severe disruptions to internet and telecom
services across the country and the loss of 70–80% of the country's
bandwidth.Arsons also occurred in the toll stations of Dhaka Elevated Expressway
and Mayor Mohammed Hanif Flyover,and two Dhaka Metro stations, including the
Mirpur-10 station. Footage of Sheikh Hasina visiting the station and shedding tears
on 25 July was criticised on social media, with users accusing her of failing to react
similarly to the loss of life during the protests.
According to Bangladesh Police, 235 police infrastructures and 281 vehicles were
vandalized and set on fire. On 19 July, a violent attack on Narsingdi District Jail
resulted in a massive jailbreak. Armed assailants, allegedly linked to
Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP by the government, stormed the prison, set fires, and
broke open cell locks, allowing 826 prisoners, including nine militants, to escape.
The attackers looted weapons, ammunition, and food supplies while causing
extensive damage to the facility. Several prison guards were killed during the
attack, and the attackers fled with the escaped prisoners.
Bangladesh's economy suffered losses of over $1.2 billion as a result of the
nationwide curfew and protests. Among the industries greatly affected were
ready-made garments, steelmaking, pharmaceuticals, ceramics and outsourcing and
e-commerce.

Outside Bangladesh :

In India, the All India Democratic Students Organisation staged a protest in

Kolkata in support of the Bangladeshi students.
In Nepal, on July 20, the All Nepal National Free Students Union held a rally in
solidarity with the quota reform movement in Bangladesh and to protest the killing
of students.
The Bangladeshi diaspora in Italy, Canada, France, Qatar,the United Arab
Emirates, the Maldives, the United Kingdom and Malta protested in solidarity with
the protesters in Bangladesh.
In the UAE, a demonstration by Bangladeshi labourers also opposed the
suppression of protesters, however, several of them were charged with holding
protests and violating the UAE's laws against public demonstrations.Following a
trial on 21 July, three defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment for "rioting",
while 54 others received sentences ranging from 10 to 11 years and were ordered
to be deported upon release.Human Rights Watch condemned their arrest, citing
the country's restrictive laws and labor conditions as violations of human rights.A
Bangladeshi lawyer, Wolora Afrin Rasna was hired by the country’s interim
government to secure the release of those imprisoned. Md. Touhid Hossain stated
that Muhammad Yunus vowed that he would personally approach senior Emirati
authorities to seek the release of those detained, and would also contact the
“concerned government”, if necessary.The detainees were later pardoned by UAE
president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 3 September.
In the Maldives, a group of Bangladeshi labourers staged a protest in Southern
Huvadhoo Atoll in Thinadhoo on 19 July affirming support for the protests in
Bangladesh. However, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology ordered
their detention and deportation.The Ministry's Spokesperson Fathimath Rifath said
that expatriate workers in the Maldives are barred from political involvement in
such an act, which amounted to a visa violation.

Role of Women:

The movement witnessed an unusual number of women participating, which is rare

in the history of Bangladesh. Usually, women in Bangladesh have not been much
involved in political demonstrations. Experts think that the involvement of women
in this movement was accelerated due to the mass participation of young female
students from universities.One of the key coordinators of the Anti-discrimination
Students Movement, Nusrat Tabassum, was also a woman.

Legacy:

The movement, along with its successor, the non-cooperation movement, has been
dubbed the world's first successful "Gen Z revolution" by several international
media, as it was organized and led by Generation Z leaders.John Reed of the
Financial Times called it the "Monsoon Revolution".Bangladeshi political analyst
Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah called it "Bangla Spring" saying people refer the
movement by it.
On 20 August, the interim government announced the establishment of a
foundation to be headed by Chief Advisor. Muhammad Yunus dedicated to the
welfare of participants of the quota reform and non-cooperation movement who
were killed and injured during the protests as well as that of their families.

Conclusion:
As Bangladesh moves forward, the lesson for all political actors is clear: The future
of political mobilization will depend on trust, accountability, and the ability to
build genuine, inclusive movements unburdened by past failures. If parties like the
BNP and JI fail to adapt, they risk being left behind by a population eager for new
leadership. The student movement’s real strength lay in its ability to inspire this
trust, offering a roadmap for future political engagement in a nation yearning for
authentic democratic change.1
The time to build is here. With courage, compassion, and a shared commitment to a
brighter future, we can create a Bangladesh that we are all proud to call home.

1
Md. Saiful Islam, Court Inspector, ACC