The classical quote of freedom by French Enlightenment writer Voltaire below is the perfect representation of freedom of speech and independence of ideas
“I may disapprove of what you say ,but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
Bangladesh located in northeast of Indian subcontinent. This country got its independence on 16 December,1971 but still we hear slogans in the streets of Bangladesh chanting that Bangladesh got independence after the PM flew away for refugee.
For knowing more and quenching the thrust of knowledge of the “Quota movement “. Collection of the perceptions of field witnesses which were directly or indirectly involved in the struggle for the independence of Bangladesh from Awami League. Afra, a teenage girl from Chittagong was giving coverage to the “Quota movement” via twitter. She unleashed the truth and denied allegation that “Us as Youth “escaped the situation. It was the political proxies of Sheikh Hasina know as Chhatra league and Jubo league.
Chhatra league created for the sole purpose for the protection of students stance in Bangladesh. It is also called as “Bangladesh student league”. In addition to it Jubo league was the first organisation for youth ,founded by Fazlul Haque Mani. Particularly , both were provided the cover of Awami league party as they both were working under the umbrella of Awami league.
During the quota movement which was introduced in 1972, storing 56 percent of the governmental jobs for different individuals of various categories. In which a considerable size of 30 percent was reserved for freedom fighters that was centre of debate from the starting. The evidence of quota movement impacts was recorded by numerous individuals from which few are in the article .They tried narrating the realities on the ground. According to some political personalities the rift was started because of the misleading behaviour from the students who were protesting but these were mere allegations. Chhatra and Jubo league members were mixed in between the individuals who choose violence. Due to them they all were punished by the security institutions. Chhatra league was not even in the good reputation as few students were provided political autonomy over matters that were completely designed by Sheik Hasina. Formerly, Leader of BSL was taken into custody due to its relations with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh which was responsible for Dhaka attack after July 2016.
From sexual harassment, murder, extortion, theft or securing public agreements in an illicit manner there is whatnot that this league has not done that have violated the penal code. In quota movement, they fulfilled the agenda of Awami league to silence the voice of youth who stood up against the quota percentage of war veterans. Why would the war veterans grand children’s would occupy job seats of such an intensity when it was their forefather who fought the war. Where the civilian or future creditable students who have the due merit , attained proper eligibility criteria would find the job if 30 percent is stored to some specific beings who have background of war veterans ?
Observing the chhatra league , its sponsorship is given on the basis of
“The greater the crime ,the higher the rank is in the Chhatra league”
Jubo league is also non the less in the race of doing illegal crimes. On an account both leagues were engaged in street fight over the reason of leaving the tender for governmental contract that was worth 10 million taka in the City of Barisal. Rafia Rehnuma was a Coordinator in Quota movement ,recently a student in Dhaka University she penned down the response upon asking questions such as
“Firstly at the beginning phase(Only Quota Andolon) of the protest, what was the effect of Chhatro & Jubo league?(Your opinion as a coordinator of the movement). Rafia response they were neutral, because lot of them lives in the hall. Moreover, there were no official order from the government to annihilate the protestor. But the problem was some extreme desperation of Chhatra league members, who wanted to show their power and numbers in front of the armless students. Just to impress the PM so that they can be promoted to influential ranks so that they can get away with their corruption.
Secondly ,Rafia mentioned the affects of Jubo and Chhatra league. She said that In the local area, Jubo league was fully on the ground. But near student campus and halls, the chhatri league was fully active , so they were a problem for the coordinators, because it became risky to stay in the hall due to fear of assassination. Also, lot’s of coordinator, especially male coordinator actually had to stay outside the hostel for safety purpose.
As the pen wrote the words, the curiosity was increasing hence leading to one last question that was enquired from Rafia that are as follows:
If chhatra and Jubo league could have cooperated with mass youth, would this mass student movement would can gain same amount of momentum or else the situation would be completely opposite of Bangladesh?
Enthusiastically Rafia replied:
If chhatro League showed supports to the protestor, two possibilities could have emerged:
- The protest would have remained as quota Andolon(protest) rather than the protest of Sharkar Poton(Call for the fall of the government) in the final phase in addition that less mass slaughter of naive students those who are the future of Bangladesh would have been shed.
- The government of Bangladesh, would not have chance to call us rebellious and reason of their fall of governmental rule. They for sure would not have called us part of the opposition. Sheik Hasina targeted “Bangladesh Nationalistic Party (BNP)” with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami for her downfall without considering the practices of their own lawless orders that she gave to the security or defence institutions.
Waliullah Sharrafat Khan, one of the founders of ‘Amra Foundation’ which actively distributed waters during the protest in Shantinagar area of Dhaka district. The chhatro & Jubo league, especially the chhatro league were openly walking around with guns, In front of them. Najimur Rahman , one of their volunteer went missing for 2 day(he was locked up in a garage),when we was sent to fetch water from the logistics for the protestors next day. Before that he got brutally beaten & was bedridden because of the pain from the assault. Chatrolig made statement like:
“‘tor pani ana chutaitesi’ (let’s see how you fetch the water, let’s see who comes for rescue now).”
Clearly by the words of witnesses who were part of educational institutions had strong verdict. She reinstitute the curfew to achieve harmony with normal state affairs of daily life. The brutality, ferocity and show of power took 150 lives , left 3000 injured while many injured students were preyed upon by rivals of the league to murder them on a report released by surveillance agencies.
Concluding the whole fieldwork through my great colleague Arifa by virtual networks. The information provided regarding quota movement gave all of us the moral that no matter how hard the fight for freedom is ,with resilience and sheer determination it can be won. They were dragged ,abducted ,killed, beaten shot many times but they did not gave up on their homeland. The land which their ancestors got, they strife for it to maintain the same dignity of the state of Bangladesh. Aynunnahar Siddiqua , Manjur-A-Matin and Barrister Sara Hossein channelize themselves as useful stream who acted up on time and provided the judicial cover for the rightful ownership of having this movement by main submitting the writ for demanding the immediate release of six detained coordinators of the anti-discrimination students movement and standing against the shooting unarmed students.
Freedom is difficult but not unachievable, there are countless examples of states who struggled yet remained firm on their ideological agenda such as South Africa against anti- Apartheid, Vietnam, Pakistan ,Ghana. But the real testimony beings when as a citizens we have to preserve it. Youth and freedom are attached which other ,both are directly proportional to each other. The enthusiasm of youth with the blend of loyal nationals of the state frames the evolution, innovation and shadow for future.
The Author, Rohma Qaiser Satti is a student at the National Defence University, Islamabad, focusing on Middle Eastern studies to deepen understanding of regional conflicts and their origins.
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