Women’s Role in Students Against Discrimination Movement 2024

From July 6^th to August 5^th, Mass people are seeing the fall of the fascist government, which has been in power for 15 years, here most of the people remark the movement as a revolution, while others are calling it a mass uprising.

Being at the epicenter (Dhaka University) where the July revolution started, gave me some opportunity to understand the movement from close quarters. Sit-in programs at Shahbagh, Bangla blocked, Ghayabana janaza, coffin procession and total blockade etc, named under different names, continued as a continuous movement led by the students of the university. Then students of other Universities, schools, colleges and madrasas joined the movement. Even now, when I close my eyes and remember those days in July, those fiery slogans come to my ears –

Quota na (or) Medha (intelligence) ? Medha, medha.

High court na (or) Rajpoth (Highway) ? Rajpoth, rajpoth.

I would tie the national flag on my forehead or wrap it around my body, sitting on the road I was clapping both hands, shouting slogans from my throat with my comrade. These memories come up. In the meantime, we have lost our companions and many ordinary people, such as innocent children, who curiously peeked out of the window to see flying helicopters in the sky or hear a loud noise outside. Mostly, 2000 people became dead. Abu Saed, Mir Mugdho, Fayaz, Ahnaf, Riya the little girl and so many people. Not only that, countless people became disabled in the long run. Under the orders of the fascist Hasina government, law and order forces had become a name of terror creating chaos.

As a student of Political Science, University of Dhaka, I call this movement both a revolution and a popular uprising. Why am I saying, let’s come to that topic:

The chief adviser of interim government of Bangladesh, Nobel peace laureates, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus said that in his speech on 11 September, 2024. The movement is named as « July Revolution » and the « Student-Worker-Mass Uprising » against fascism.

In the public job sector of Bangladesh, 30% quota is undoubtedly an unreasonable rule for freedom fighters who have contributed to the country’s freedom in 1971, whose amount is less than 0.5% of the current total population of the country. And when the talented young students raised their voice against this absurdity, the students’ movement started. They demanded nothing but an inequitable reform of the quota system. Without showing little concerns, the fascist Hasina government took this movement and the spirit of the students very lightly and paid the ultimate price by ending the regime. Not only the male students but also the female students has played a vital role. The female students also wanted to abolish the ‘Female Quota’, which was the facilities of them for getting public job. The contribution of women students in the July Revolution was remarkable. In short, it was the first movement in the history of Bangladesh where women were in the front line with men directly from the beginning to the end of the movement. During the revolution, many female students faced a lot of harassment in the streets. Yet they did not leave the highway. They marched ahead with slogans from the very first day of various processions, the days of that brisk walking on the highway or breaking the voice to shout slogans will remain in my memory forever.

In this report, I really want to despite the positions and the conditions of Bangladeshi women, who are engaging with public sphere work as a helping hand in others home, garments worker, day laborer and various types of work. Here, most of them are less educated and they are unaware about their rights also. So, they are constantly being discriminated against in their workplace. They are often neglected even after working at the risk of life. At the end of the day, there is nothing to gain except low wages and their social positions are also neglected. At a time when everyone dreams of a state without discrimination, a large part of the population of the country is constantly living in a state of discrimination. It is by no means desirable.

In this movement of 36 consecutive days, the students in the beginning and the general people in the end of the movement took to the streets in solidarity with the students. After the mass uprising, the interim government was formed based on the opinion of the students to govern the country. But, then…?

The ongoing corruption and irregularities in the important sectors of the country in the last 15 years of the Hasina government’s regime are a cause for concern. In the post-revolutionary period, people from all walks of life are rejoicing for a second independent country. However, enjoying this freedom is not so easy. There is a proverb that “Freedom is harder to defend than to gain”. And, the inner meaning of that proverb does not come easily among the people of this country. And that’s why people from all walks of life (such as Police, Lawyer, Ansar, Family planning workers, Garment workers etc.) started to strive for everyone’s rights instead of helping the government. The situation after the revolution is really unstable. Lastly, the interim government decide to deployed the military force on field to normalize the chaotic situation and now that situation is gradually normalizing also.

On the occasion of one month of taking charge the interim government, the chief adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, addressed the nation on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. In his speech, he informed about the reformation of the state to form six commissions initially for reforms at different levels,which will be led by six eminent citizens.

Every single day, the interim government is gradually working for the improvement of all sectors of the country. A positive change in the political situation of the country is now the aspiration of all the people of the country. Ultimately, common people want a non-discriminatory state where everyone enjoys all benefits according to their merit.

Sabrina Islam Shefa

Department of Political Science

BSS 3rd Year

University of Dhaka

E-mail:sabrinashefa02@gmail.com