“In with the new!” – Community report on discussions about the political conditions and mass violence against the people of Bangladesh
August 6, 2024
South Asian Women’s and Immigrant Services is a community-based, women-led organization providing services and delivering programs in the Oakridge, Taylor Massey, and surrounding East-Danforth neighbourhoods of Toronto since 2008. These neighborhoods are known to have a high concentration of immigrants and newcomers from Bangladesh, many of whom are low-income and face unique challenges to their full civic, economic, and social participation in Canada.
As an organization with a majority of members, staff, volunteers, and service users from the Bangladeshi diaspora, we are in conversation with community members about the situation unfolding in Bangladesh. We express our concern for the safety and well-being of family members impacted by the developing situation in Bangladesh. We also express our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones as a result of brutal state attacks.
SAWIS fosters a safe and inclusive environment that encourages immigrant women and girls to discuss and address issues that affect them, their families, and our community at large. Our members have been observing the events unfolding since July 15, 2024, when students began their resistance against the unfair quota system, the state’s violent response to democratic dissent, and the downfall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government (Awami League).
Many community members echo the students of Bangladesh’s concerns with the proposed quota system, which reserved a significant portion of public-sector and government jobs for ‘descendants of Mukti Joddhas’ (Bahree, 2024). The proposed quotas would have added to the barriers in accessing decent, stable jobs while worsening the existing nepotistic hiring practices. It would also disregard the credentials and merits of domestic job seekers and reduce the share of equitable job hires for groups known to face barriers in their labor market participation (women, people with disabilities, and religious/ethnic minorities). In the context of the worsening affordability crisis that spans across the world and record-high unemployment rates among graduates and youth, our community members support the students’ demands for real, liveable jobs, measures addressing the affordability crisis, and an end to corrupt hiring practices.
In response to the student’s and general public’s right to protest, the former government’s taunts and violent responses have been appalling and garnered international criticism, with concerns from the United Nations (UNICEF, 2024). Since July 15, thousands of students and protestors were arbitrarily detained and injured through the violent repression. Additionally, there have been more than 300 protestors and civilians killed during police and military attacks under the direct orders of the government (Ethirajan, 2024). Among the losses, at least 32 children were killed, many while inside their own homes (UNICEF, 2024). The resistance has since grown to demand accountability for the use of indiscriminate, inhumane, and illegal violence by local police and military that has resulted in the tragic loss of life.
With growing country-wide resistance through protests and other civic actions expressing the public’s dissatisfaction with the ruling government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government were forced to step down. This is a momentous victory for the people of Bangladesh!
While Bangladeshis celebrate the end of tyranny and oppression, we mourn the lives sacrificed and martyred. We also express our concern about the opportunistic acts of violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh, and applaud the efforts of students and workers organizing local initiatives to protect their Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and other affected neighbors.
The people of Bangladesh have an immense task ahead restoring stability and building a new government. In order to truly materialize and sustain the newfound ‘independence’, the new way forward must reject the old practices of corruption, crony capitalist and neoliberal economic and social policies, and oppression of racial, ethnic, and gender-diverse populations. This task can only be successfully carried out ‘by the people, for the people’ — it must be led by the youth, workers, and their families in the nation’s collective interest.
The Bangladeshi community living in Toronto and abroad looks forward to rebuilding the country, which is founded on new ideas, politics, and practices. Conversations with community members indicate that our task going forward will be to support the demands of Bangladesh’s students and workers (outlined below).
Community members also discuss our collective responsibilities to positively contribute to the efforts of advancing the interests of affected communities in Canada and abroad who are facing similar and/or more severe forms of economic, social, and political oppression and marginalization. In their discussion, they asserted that the task going forward is to continue advocating for the economic, social, and political security of all. This includes efforts to: address the affordability and living crisis in our communities; reforms in the labour market and employment rights in support of vulnerable and precarious workers; safeguard and modernize public and social programs and supports (including but not limited to: health, childcare, education, legal, etc.); addressing gender, racial and other intersectional disparities in all aspects of domestic and foreign policies and programming; and strengthening the public’s demand for Canada to resist and end international humanitarian crises, such as the genocide in Palestine.
The recommendations proposed by community members are also outlined below.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
As Bangladesh emerges from the political crisis, our community stands with the students and the public who demand:
- Accountability and justice for the deaths and injuries of students, children, and civilians since July 2024
- Accountability and justice for the disappearance and extrajudicial killings carried out by Sheikh Hasina’s government and the Awami League over the past 15 years, such as the BDR massacres, journalists (Sagar-Runi), students, lawyers and others opposing the former government
- Release of all prisoners who were arbitrarily detained during the protests and prisoners detained for opposing the former government over the past 15 years.
- The formation of the interim and, subsequently, new government by members approved by students and the public. Members of the new government must not include existing military officials and politicians/individuals with ties to the opposition and former ruling parties (the Awami League and Bangladesh National Party).
- The prioritization of human rights, judicial processes, and public accountability by the interim and subsequent new government with strict measures against corruption, extortion, and state terrorism
- The prioritization of the interim and subsequently new government of issues pertaining to the economic, social , and political security of Bangladeshis – which includes addressing affordability, rising unemployment, and safeguarding political and social rights
As members of the diaspora residing in Canada, our community demands the following from the Canadian government and our elected representatives:
- Adopt a consistent understanding of international human rights that recognizes the crimes committed by Sheikh Hasina and members of her government with other similar and more severe crimes being committed around the world, especially Isreal’s ongoing and worsening genocide against Palestine.
- Engage in meaningful conversations with communities who are fighting for a dignified life in the face of profound economic, social, civic, and political marginalization and exclusions in Canada. This includes Indigenous communities and racialized, immigrants and refugees affected by state violence and genocides (ie: diasporas from Bangladesh, Palestine, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen and others).
- Support the people of Bangladesh in demanding accountability for the crimes of violence and extrajudicial killings carried out by Sheikh Hasina and her government in international courts.
- Denial of entry and/or landing and political protections for Sheikh Hasina and members of her government who were directly and indirectly involved in the brutalities carried out against the public.
- Designate Sheikh Hasina’s government, the former Awami League, and the Chhatra League as terrorist organizations. Accordingly, investigate those claiming connections and ties to the Awami League while seeking refuge in Canada on the grounds of political persecution.
Citations
- Bahree, M. (n.d.). Who are the protesters demanding an end to job quotas in Bangladesh? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/7/18/who-are-the-protesters-demanding-an-end-to-job-quotas-in-bangladesh
- Quota Reform Movement in Bangladesh: A Deep Dive into Its Origin and Impact. (2024, August 2). Vifindia.org. https://www.vifindia.org/article/2024/august/2/Quota-Reform-Movement-in-Bangladesh
- Anbarasan Ethirajan. (2024, August 5). Sheikh Hasina: How Bangladesh’s protesters ended a 15-year reign. Bbc.com; BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9033zpv0nvo
- Jazeera, A. (2024, August 5). Bangladesh protesters make the defiant call for a march on Dhaka. Al Jazeera; Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/5/bangladesh-protesters-make-defiant-call-for-march-on-dhaka
- Wijesekera, S. (2024, August 2). At least 32 children killed in Bangladesh violence. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-32-children-killed-bangladesh-violence#:~:text=%E2%80%9CUNICEF%20has%20now%20confirmed%20that,This%20is%20a%20terrible%20loss.
- OHCHR. (2024, July 19). UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls for accountability and dialogue in Bangladesh. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved August 6, 2024, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2024/07/un-human-rights-chief-volker-turk-calls-accountability-and-dialogue-bangladesh
- UNICEF. (2024, January 24). Bangladesh: Citing ‘dangerous decline’ of human rights, experts urge key reforms. UN News. Retrieved August 6, 2024, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145842
