Asian markets fall, yen extends gains

The student protests emerged in response to a Supreme Court ruling on government job quotas, a matter of significant national importance. The government recognizes the right to peaceful protest and has always encouraged dialogue and lawful expression of dissent. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has always been open to dialogue and has repeatedly called for discussions with student representatives to address their concerns. The recent adjustment of the job quota system is a direct response to the grievances raised by the protesters.

The anti-quota movement, after much blood spilling and severe damage to public property over last few days, has been fairly settled in court and out of court. The nation sighs with relief that the crisis is over. The nightmare seems to be gone as dawn breaks. As a matter of fact, after the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s speech to the nation on 17 July 2024, in which she gave a broad hint that the quota issue would live up to the expectations of the agitating students, the situation should not have been aggravated as it had been.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to pay an official visit to Spain from July 21-23. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Bangladesh on May 12, 1972, when Spain formally acknowledged the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh, the bilateral relationship between Dhaka-Madrid has undergone a significant transformation, moving from a distant relationship to a more robust and cooperative one.

It was encouraging to hear Charles Whiteley, outgoing head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Dhaka, note that the relationship between Bangladesh and the EU is maturing. At a time when Bangladesh is on the cusp of LDC graduation, with many development challenges to come over the next two decades, strengthening its ties with the EU is of paramount importance.

The velocity of the anti-quota movement turning into “Bangla Blockade” from dawn to dusk is but a tempest in a teapot. The anti-quota protestors seem to be tilting at windmills. They are fulminating against the freedom fighter’s quota in the government jobs. But the government under Sheikh Hasina had abolished it back in 2018 in response to the demand of the students. Now the quota has recently been reinstated by a decree of the High Court.