Timeline: How a quota reform movement caused a government to fall

A ‘non-political’ movement that emerged from a High Court order reinstating the quota system in the government jobs has led to the fall of the Awami League government which has been in power for more than 15 years.

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and left the country.

Many lives were lost across 61 days and many with injuries are suffering in hospitals. Now there are questions about what is next for Bangladesh.

Jun 5, Wednesday: The High Court issues an order declaring the scrapping of the quota system illegal.

Jun 6, Thursday: Students begin to stage protests against the court order.

Jun 9, Sunday: The state appeals for a stay order of the High Court verdict.

Jul 1, Monday: A massive movement under the banner of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement begins. Protests are held in Dhaka, Jahangirnagar, Jagannath, Chattogram and Rajshahi Universities. The protesters announce a three-day protest programme demanding the scrapping of the quota system in government jobs.

Jul 7, Sunday: A ’Bangla Blockade’ programme is held across the country. The capital comes to a standstill amid massive protests. The protesters announce a ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme for the following day.

Jul 9, Tuesday: The Anti-discrimination Student Movement announced dawn to dusk blockade programmes at important points on roads, highways and railways. Two students sign on as petitioners against the court verdict reinstating the quota system.

Jul 10, Wednesday: The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division issues a stay order of four weeks on the High Court order to reinstate the quota system. The next hearing is scheduled for Aug 7.

Jul 14, Sunday: The High Court publishes the full verdict reinstating the quota system. The students start protests over the use of the word ‘Razakar’ (Pakistani collaborators) by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a press briefing.

Jul 15, Monday: Bangladesh Chhatra League and other government supporters attack the student protesters at the Dhaka University campus.

Jul 16, Tuesday: An appeal was filed to the Appellate Division. Violence spreads across Bangladesh amid road blockades as six people are killed. The video of a university student Abu Sayed being shot dead by police goes viral.

Later, all educational institutes and residential halls in universities were shut down.

Jul 17, Wednesday: Chhatra League leaders are driven away from different residential halls in Dhaka University and other universities. Their rooms are vandalised. The protesters clash with the police as they try to hold a symbolic funeral prayer for those who died during the protests.

Large-scale protests break out at private universities. The prime minister addressed the nation in the evening. She urges everyone to be patient until the top court announces its verdict.

Clashes erupt in Jatrabari at night. The toll plaza at Mayor Hanif Flyover is set ablaze.

Jul 18, Thursday: Violence flares surrounding the movement. Police are surrounded by protesters at Merul Badda. Later they were rescued by helicopters. The building housing state broadcaster BTV is set ablaze. Different government buildings and structures, including the Setu Bhaban and the Directorate of Disaster Management are vandalised and torched.

Students and protesters are injured in several rounds of clashes with police. The Awami League proposes to bring the amount of quotas down from a total of 56 percent in government jobs to 20 percent.

The law minister says that the government is willing to discuss with the protesters, but the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement turned down the proposal. Internet service was shut from 9pm.

Jul 19, Friday: Huge clashes break out in Dhaka and elsewhere as tension brews. Metro Rail stations, the Elevated Expressway toll plaza, Mirpur Indoor Stadium and other structures are vandalised and set ablaze.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi is arrested.

Everything comes to a standstill as internet service is halted. The government imposes a curfew from 12am. At least 56 people are killed across the country.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announces it will continue its shutdown programme with a 9-point demand, which include an apology from the prime minister and the resignation of two other ministers.

Three protest coordinators meet three ministers at the state guest house Padma. Coordinators Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah and Deputy Coordinator Hasib Al Islam present an eight-point list of demands.

Law Minister Anisul Huq, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhoury, and State Minister for Information Mohammed Ali Arafat represent the government.

Jul 20, Saturday: Protesters clash with law enforcers in Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur, Mymensingh and other places, defying the curfew.

The coordinators differ on their meetings with the ministers.

At least 26 people are killed in violence in Dhaka and Narayanganj.

Jul 21, Sunday: The Appellate Division hears the appeal on the quota reform issue and scraps the High Court order to reinstate the quota system. It instructs that 93 percent posts will be filled directly with candidates from the merit list, 5 percent from the children of freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters, 1 percent from minority ethnic groups and 1 percent with people with disabilities and third gender combined.

The curfew continues, while government, private and autonomous organisations, banks, financial institutions and garment factories are all closed under a general holiday.

Jul 22, Monday: Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the quota movement announces a halt to the ‘complete shutdown’ programme for 48 hours. They give an ultimatum to the government to implement their four-point demand.

The government extends the general holidays until Tuesday. The curfew is also extended.

The media reports at least 131 deaths in four days during the violence that took place around the quota reform movement. More than 500 people are arrested.

Jul 23, Tuesday: Broadband internet is restored on a limited scale. Later, it was restored in all households in the entire country.

Jul 24, Wednesday: Offices open after three days of general holidays following an executive order. As the curfew is relaxed, offices are open from 11am to 3pm.

Jul 26, Friday: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the injured in Dhaka Medical College Hospital and also the Bangladesh Television to see the vandalism.

She says her statements regarding Razakars were distorted: “I never called them Razakars. They identified themselves as Razakars,” she said.

Three coordinators of the student movement for quota reforms – Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Baker Majumder - are taken to the Detective Branch office in the capital’s Minto Road from Gonoshasthya Nagar Hospital. The Home Minister says they were not arrested but taken into custody to ensure their safety.

Jul 27, Saturday: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina goes to the Pongu Hospital to visit the injured. She blames the recent violence on Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP opted for and adds that they aim to cripple the national economy.

Jul 28, Sunday: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets the families of some of those killed during the quota reform movement including Abu Sayed. She goes to Rajarbagh Police Hospital to meet the injured.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal shares information on 147 deaths resulting from the violence surrounding the quota movement. However, local media sources say the number is greater than 200.

Mobile internet service is restored after 10 days.

Jul 29, Monday: The ruling Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance decides in principle to ban Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir. Hasina leads the 14-Party meeting.

Clashes take place in different parts of the country surrounding the protest programmes of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement.

Jul 30, Tuesday: Bangladesh observes a day of nationwide mourning for the many lives lost during the clashes and violence surrounding the protests for quota reforms. In a show of defiance, the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement calls for using social media users to post red profile photos and images of people tying black cloth around their eyes.

Jul 31, Wednesday: Students stage a 'March for Justice' programme as they attempt to march towards the High Court to protest against the killings, mass arrests and lawsuits centred on the quota reform movement. Police block and scuffle with students, teachers, and protesters at Dhaka University. There are clashes in different parts of the country surrounding the protests.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeks help from international organisations for a proper investigation into the violence. The United Nations expresses interest in sending a delegation to investigate.

Aug 1, Thursday: The six coordinators of the Anti-Discriminatory Students Movement are released from the DB office. A programme titled ‘Remembering Our Heroes’ is held to commemorate the dead. Clashes take place in Cumilla, Narayanganj and Barishal.

The government issues a notice banning the anti-independence party Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir for their ‘crimes against humanity in 1971’ and allegations of ‘terrorist activities’ during the violence surrounding the quota protest movement.

Aug 2, Friday: Processions are attacked and other clashes are reported. Two people, including police, are killed.

Aug 3, Saturday: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposes discussions with student protesters, saying the doors of the Ganabhaban are opened to them. The protesters turn down the offer.

A huge public gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar leads to a one-point demand for the government to resign.

Dhaka is largely peaceful but attacks, and vandalism are reported in 11 districts. At least one person dies.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan says he and other ministers will resign if the prime minister deems it necessary. He said the students’ movement was not a ‘non-political’ one anymore, and any attack would be responded to in self-defence.

Aug 4, Sunday: On the first day of a non-cooperation programme, the ruling party Awami League declares that it will also take to the field. Severe clashes erupt across the country, killing more than a hundred people. The dead included 14 policemen and 19 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliates.

The Anti-discrimination Student Movement announces its ‘Long March to Dhaka’ programme in a huge gathering at Shahbagh.

“Students and parents are requested to return home safely as militant attacks are happening in different places. Strong measures will be taken against the militants,” the Prime Minister’s Office says in a notice.

Aug 5, Monday: A huge number of students and protesters head to Dhaka to take part in the ‘Long March to Dhaka’ programme called by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees to India. She reportedly seeks political asylum in the United Kingdom.

Bangladesh’s Chief of Armed Forces Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman announces the formation of an interim government to rule the country after the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

People bring out victory procession on the streets of Dhaka. Crowds storm the Ganabhaban, taking various things. Several police stations are attacked. The Bangabandhu Bhaban, Awami League offices and its leaders’ houses are attacked.

President Mohammad Shahabuddin meets with political parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami in the evening. He announces that parliament will be dissolved and says an interim government will be formed as soon as possible.