Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement: Underlying Causes and Weaknesses in Tech Infrastructure
In July 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a significant event: the quota reform protest. This movement was primarily led by students opposing the government's quota system for job recruitment. As someone who was in the UK during the peak of the protest and returned to Bangladesh as it subsided, I offer a neutral perspective on the issue, avoiding moral or political biases.
The protest caught many by surprise with its rapid escalation and intensity. This was the first time I had seen such an extensive information and internet blackout in Bangladesh. The quota system, originally implemented after independence to support freedom fighters and marginalized communities, seemed justified at the time. However, it was abolished in 2018 and reinstated by the high court in 2024, triggering student protests. Initially peaceful, the protests turned violent due to crackdowns, leading to casualties, property destruction, curfews, internet blackouts, and disruptions in critical infrastructure like banking, supply chains, and transportation. A Supreme Court decision eventually limited the quota, and military intervention was necessary to restore order. Various groups, including international and local media, students, intellectuals, the government, and opposition parties, presented their own narratives. Rather than recounting these details, I offer a different perspective on the issue.
Why the Quota Movement?
The quota system is not uncommon in other counties. In India, the reservation or quota system for government jobs and educational institutions is about 63.5% (Scheduled Castes (SC): 15%, Scheduled Tribes (ST): 7.5%, Other Backward Classes (OBC): 27%, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): Up to 10%, Persons with Disabilities (PwD): 4%. Additional quotas may exist for women, ex-servicemen, and other groups in certain states.). In Pakistan, only 7.5% of the positions are filled purely on merit, the rest are regional or communal reservations.
Government jobs in Bangladesh are limited each year, while approximately 800,000 graduates enter the job market annually. Between 2019 and 2023, only 358,000 government positions were filled, averaging about 72,000 per year. The quota system does not significantly affect most graduates, as only a few pursue government jobs due to either lack of interest or the highly competitive exams.
So, why did the quota reform movement gain such widespread support among students?
The Root Cause
The movement reflects a broader frustration with unemployment and perceived discrimination. As I have argued for months, Bangladesh's most pressing issue is creating white-collar jobs. The economy has been growing steadily for two decades, despite recent challenges like currency devaluation, dollar reserve depletion, and inflation due to the pandemic and global conflicts. Other countries face similar downturns, and these issues are likely temporary. While climate change and natural disasters pose challenges, they progress slowly, and Bangladesh will adapt. The country's unique location and investments in infrastructure and economic zones suggest that industrial growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) will not be major issues. The crux of the problem is the lack of job opportunities for the young educated population, as there is insufficient investment in high-tech industries.
In the garment industry, for example, blue-collar jobs are plentiful, but white-collar opportunities are scarce, with only about 200 such jobs per 20,000 workers. Uneducated individuals can find work easily, while educated graduates struggle. There is high demand for low or semi-skilled labor domestically and abroad, but graduates face limited options. Only a small percentage secure government jobs, pursue higher studies abroad, or find private-sector jobs in a saturated market. Others turn to freelancing, entrepreneurship, or remain unemployed. While there are about 1 million freelancers in Bangladesh, many perform low-skilled tasks like digital marketing, SEO, and content writing, which are increasingly automated by AI. As a result, only highly skilled freelancers will find work, while others will struggle.
Bangladesh has a demographic dividend opportunity for the next 10 to 15 years, but it could become a demographic nightmare if no action is taken. The solution lies in creating employment opportunities for the young educated population to prevent further frustration and unrest.
How to Solve the Problem?
Policymakers must recognize this issue as critical and develop strategies to address it. They should identify high-tech industries with potential and provide incentives and funding for research and development (R&D), involving academia. East Asian countries took similar steps decades ago. There needs to be a shift in perception: investment in R&D is not a waste but a crucial investment. Even private companies should be encouraged to allocate a portion of their income to R&D, with tax-free and even reimbursable policies as incentives. The garments industry, for instance, grew with the help of incentives, and while some were misused, those who utilized them properly became significant players.
Human resource development and skill training are essential. Vocational training institutes and learning resources should be made available to students. If companies require vocational training or specific courses for job eligibility, job seekers will pursue them. This initiative can be supported by both public and private organizations. Universities can offer professional courses taught by industry professionals rather than academics, either online or in-person, based on job requirements. Students must understand that the job market is rapidly changing, and they need to upskill to remain competitive. Not everyone needs a graduate degree; technical or vocational education can also lead to high-paying jobs. Concepts like apprenticeships should be introduced and promoted to both organizations and students, benefiting all parties. In summary, potential industries should be identified and incentivized, and resources should be built around them.
Another helpful initiative would be creating a platform where experienced professionals can mentor fresh graduates, helping them develop skills and providing a pathway to employment. My team and I are currently working on such a platform.
Weakness in Tech Infrastructure
The internet blackout, whether intentional or due to infrastructure damage, highlighted significant weaknesses in Bangladesh's tech infrastructure. Critical services, including banks and trade infrastructure like ports, were also affected. If the blackout was intentional, the government should have been able to restrict social media and public internet access without disrupting critical infrastructure. If the blackout resulted from damage to submarine cables or data centers, the lack of redundancy is concerning. Mobile networks were also disrupted, which is unacceptable in a developed country. For instance, despite prolonged infrastructure attacks, Ukraine has managed to maintain power and internet access for its population.
How to Solve the Problem?
Critical infrastructures must be identified and equipped with redundancy measures, such as backup data centers and communication systems. Solutions like Starlink can serve as backup connections for critical infrastructures, which should operate on separate networks. An attack on a specific area should not affect the entire country. Government ministries should be consolidated in specific areas for better protection. Critical infrastructures can operate on intranets rather than the internet, ensuring continued operation even during disruptions. Mobile networks also need redundancies.
I was talking to an expert (Mr. Hasan Rahman Ratan, DataSoft Manufacturing) the other day, he has worked in NASA for 32 years and has admirable achievements in networking NASA computers. He said that a simple Authoritative DNS server setup in National Data Center could solve many of the problems and its not expensive at all. Currently all ISPs and telecoms are connected to local IXPs (Internet Exchange Point), so with name resolved locally inside the country, it would have acted like a big intranet and all locally hosted local services including critical services could be made operational even without International bandwidth.
The Impact
The quota reform movement and the subsequent events have significantly damaged Bangladesh's reputation, both domestically and internationally. The country's image as an economic success story and a nation of resilient, hard-working people has been tarnished. The consequences of this event could be far-reaching and unpredictable. Poor decision-making, fuelled by ego and arrogance, led to unnecessary violence, arrests, and economic damage. While the past cannot be changed, there is an opportunity to learn from these events and take corrective actions.
In conclusion, the quota reform movement is a sad but instructive episode in Bangladesh's history. It highlights the urgent need for job creation, skill development, and robust infrastructure planning. The question remains: will the country take the necessary actions before it's too late?