Students protest Bangladesh's corrupt quota system in early July 2024. In the days after this photo, police violently cracked down on the peaceful student protestors and triggered a country-wide movement to topple the ruling government. Image via Wikicommons, license: CC BY-SA 4.0

Since July 15, 2024, Bangladesh has been embroiled in severe political instability, with widespread protests, violent government crackdowns, and a deeply polarized political environment. The violence has left at least 300 dead and hundreds more injured. A curfew has been imposed and the internet and telecommunication services have been cut off for much of the country’s 171 million residents. As of 3 pm on August 5, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled the country.

The situation began to devolve in early July, with students and opposition groups staging widespread peaceful demonstrations over corruption in government employment opportunities and the unjust “quota system” — a system designed to ensure equal government employment access for women, minority groups, and families of former independence fighters —  that was being used to favor the ruling party members. The government proceeded to brutally crack down on the students and demonstrators, as security forces employed tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition to disperse the crowds.

In addition to the violence, the government imposed curfews, restricted internet access, and conducted mass arrests, further inflaming the situation. These measures have severely curtailed freedoms of assembly and expression, leading to widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally.

Videos of military violence against unarmed students went viral across the country and lit a tinderbox of resentment and outrage among the citizens. The protests expanded from primarily students, activists, and opposition groups, as citizens all over the country joined the movement. On August 3 and 4, over 50,000 people took to the streets of Dhaka, demanding Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resign and calling for sweeping governmental reforms.

The protests, violence, and internet shutdowns have all but stalled the economy and daily life, leaving millions food insecure and without income — particularly vulnerable populations, such as oppressed minority groups and those in refugee camps.

Despite the ongoing violence, students and activists are still seeking peaceful means of protest, with some turning to art and social media as a form of resistance, expressing their dissent through murals, posters, and performance art that challenge state repression. This artistic activism has become a powerful tool for galvanizing public support and drawing attention to the protesters’ demands.