Paris, March 22, 1968, the students of Nanterre University staged a protest against the authorities, taking control of the administrative building. This uprising quickly spread throughout Paris.
On May 3, student demonstrators marched from Sorbonne University. The French police responded with gunfire, tear gas, and arrests, causing the student movement to rally around the Sorbonne campus. Their demands were educational reform and liberation of institutions from state control, protesting against unemployment, worker exploitation, and capitalism.
The movement soon saw workers joining in, leading to a general strike called by labour unions on May 13, involving nearly ten million workers. This movement rapidly spread across France and beyond its borders.
Bangladesh, July 1, 2024, university and college campuses in Bangladesh erupted in protests against government job quota reservations. Students demanded merit-based employment instead of quotas, continuing a movement that began in 2018.
The anti-quota protest started on April 8 at Dhaka’s Shahbagh, organized by the Bangladesh General Student Rights Protection Council. Under pressure, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government reluctantly revoked the reservation directive.
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What Was the Reservation Policy
The government controlled 56 percent of job reservations: 30 percent for families of freedom fighters, 10 percent for residents of underprivileged districts, 10 percent for women, 5 percent for economically disadvantaged groups, and 1 percent for the specially-abled. The remaining 44 percent of jobs were based on merit.
In 2021, seven family members of freedom fighters appealed to the Bangladesh High Court to reinstate the quota system. Notably, this legal action had roots in imperialist strategies.
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On June 5, 2024, the High Court ruled in favour of the plaintiffs, instructing the government to restore the withdrawn quota system.
Violence and Shutdown
On July 16, clashes between protesters and pro-government student leagues resulted in six deaths in Dhaka. The government imposed a complete shutdown, with demands for quota withdrawal and Hasina’s resignation igniting nationwide unrest. In parliament, Sheikh Hasina labelled the protesting students as ‘razakars’ or traitors.
The military was deployed, curfews enforced, and internet services cut off. The state responded with brutal force, leaving the country in turmoil. Official reports indicated 300 deaths and over 3,000 injuries in the 36-day movement, with 25,000 students charged with sedition.
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On July 21, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh directed 93 percent merit-based recruitment in government jobs, reserving only 7 percent for freedom fighters and other groups.
The Parallels
Initially, the French government under President Charles de Gaulle ignored the student protests, much like Hasina’s government with the quota movement. Eventually, the widespread French protests led to de Gaulle’s resignation and exile.
The Bangladeshi student movement also became a mass movement, involving not just students but people from all walks of life, mirroring the Paris protests. On August 5, Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman, resigned as the Prime Minister, reminiscent of de Gaulle’s exit. History repeated itself for the sake of humanity, and time speaks for it.
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The waves of Sorbonne struck the heart of modern capitalism. The alternative societal vision ignited by the students of Paris, intellectuals, and workers is still remembered by history.
Shahbagh followed Sorbonne’s path. This alternative revolution against imperialism will threaten tyrants worldwide. However, the story’s conclusion isn’t entirely hopeful.
Mujibur Rahman cannot be likened to a tyrant, as doing so will distort history. The uproar in Dhaka evokes images of deep-state manoeuvres seen in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, stirring up possibilities of fundamentalism and racial discrimination. Whether Shahbagh can truly emulate Sorbonne’s impact on humanity remains to be seen. There is potential for a positive outcome, but it needs the right direction.
