Central Albertans rallied for the citizens of Bangladesh, as dozens have died following clashes between police and demonstrators protesting a government jobs quota in the South Asian country.
On June 5, the Bangladesh's High Court declared that the circular cancelling of the 30 per cent quota reserved for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971 was illegal.
The 2024 Quota Reform Movement was created in response. It was initially led by students of public and private universities, with a focus on restructuring the traditional quota-based system for government job recruitment.
Violence has since broken out, with more than 100 people dying, according to local news outlets. Authorities have not shared official figures for deaths. Last Thursday, internet and mobile service were cut off as tensions escalated. A curfew with a shoot-on-sight order was installed a few days earlier, with military personnel being seen patrolling the capital and other areas.
This past Sunday, members of the Bangladeshi Community of Red Deer gathered at the corner of Gaetz Avenue and 19 Street to recognize those killed in the violence.
"As Bangladeshis living in Canada, we uphold the values of justice, equality, and democratic expression," said Mushfiqul Arifin, the group's spokesperson.
"We stand in solidarity with the students and citizens of Bangladesh who are peacefully demanding fair treatment and reform of the quota system."
The group urged the Canadian government to take immediate action, including summoning the Bangladeshi ambassador to express Canada's deep concern over the escalating violence and loss of life and to support democratic values and the rights of peaceful protesters.
A petition, handed over to Delwar Jahid, founding president of the Bangladesh Foundation of Human Rights and president of the Bangladesh North American Journalists Association, was signed by key members of the Bangladeshi community. It calls on Bangladeshi authorities to respect human rights, ensure citizen safety, and restore internet connectivity to facilitate communication and access to information.
In his brief address to the protesters on Sunday, Jahid highlighted the recent ruling by the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, which annulled the High Court's verdict on the quota system, mandating that 93 per cent of recruitment be based on merit. He also lamented the loss of over a hundred lives in the interim, calling it shocking and heartbreaking.
—With files from The Associated Press
