WEST BENGAL: In light of recent turmoil in Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina's resignation as Prime Minister, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for calm among the residents of her state. She emphasized that West Bengal will align with the decisions made by the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Banerjee urged Bengal's citizens to stay peaceful and ignore any misleading rumors. She stressed that the situation is a matter of international concern and that the state government will support whatever actions the central government deems necessary.
The call for tranquility follows reports that Sheikh Hasina, who stepped down from her role as Bangladeshi Prime Minister on Monday, arrived in Agartala, Tripura, after facing substantial protests in her home country. Bangladesh shares a 4,096.7 km-long border with India, the longest of any of India's international borders.
The protests in Bangladesh have been ongoing for a month, escalating into violence and resulting in over 300 deaths, according to AFP. The unrest was driven by demands for changes to the nation's civil service job quota system, which has been a point of contention.
The quota system in Bangladesh reserved government jobs for specific groups, including descendants of individuals who fought in the 1971 War of Independence against Pakistan. Protesters have been calling for Hasina's resignation, criticizing the quota system despite the Supreme Court's previous reductions.
In 2018, the Bangladeshi government had suspended the job quotas following widespread student protests. However, in June, the High Court reinstated the quotas after petitions from veterans' relatives. On July 21, the Supreme Court reduced the quota for veterans to 5 percent, with 93 percent of government jobs now to be filled based on merit. The remaining 2 percent will be allocated to ethnic minorities, transgender individuals, and people with disabilities.
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