We would like to draw your immediate attention to the escalating human rights violation, which has resulted in the mass killing in Bangladesh. It has endangered the lives of thousands of general students along with the general people of Bangladesh. We stand in solidarity with the brave students of Bangladesh who are protesting against the unjust quota system in government jobs. 

On July 4, 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the reinstatement of the quota system, reversing the 2018 decision that had abolished it. This system reserves 56% of first-class government jobs for specific groups, leaving only 44% based on merit, with even worse disparities in second-class, primary schools, and other job types. This discriminatory practice undermines equality and the future of deserving, talented individuals. The demand for a fair, merit-based recruitment process is both righteous and constitutional.

During the last few days, Bangladesh has witnessed a grave humanitarian crisis stemming from government-sponsored violence against peaceful student protests and a severe crackdown on freedom of speech. Tens of thousands of students have taken to the streets to peacefully protest against the discriminatory reinstatement of the quota system. These protests, however, have been met with brutal force by law enforcement agencies and government supporters, resulting in over 100 deaths of innocent students and numerous injuries. Furthermore, the government has imposed draconian measures including the shutdown of educational institutions and communication services (internet, messaging, etc.), and the imposition of a curfew with shoot-on-sight orders, exacerbating the crisis. The situation is getting worse everyday with the number of casualties mounting up. 

It’s worth to mention, Sheikh Hasina, the head of the ruling government and the prime minister of Bangladesh, snatched away the voting rights of the general people for the last 15 years. As a true dictator, she kept the general population of Bangladesh deprived from the freedom of speech, which is one of the fundamental rights of democracy. 

We urge the United States government to take a firm stand against these atrocities. The United States has always been a beacon for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law globally, and it is crucial that we extend our support to the people of Bangladesh in their struggle for justice and freedom. Therefore, we respectfully request that the following actions are considered:

• Publicly denounce the Bangladeshi government's use of excessive force against peaceful protesters and call for an immediate cessation of violence.
• Strongly condemn the Bangladeshi government for taking down the mobile networks and internet services, hence blocking access to social media platforms, violating freedom of speech and hindering the dissemination of critical information.
• Urge the government to reinstate the mobile networks and internet services to allow the people living in Bangladesh to reconnect with each other and to the rest of the world.
• Advocate for democratic reforms in Bangladesh, ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens, merit-based government job allocations.
• Urge the U.S. State Department to actively engage with the Bangladeshi government to uphold human rights, freedom of speech, and restore democratic norms.

The people of Bangladesh urgently need the solidarity and support of the international community. Please sign this petition to support the courageous students fighting for justice in Bangladesh by drawing the attention of our local representatives (from the senate and congress) in Chicago, the representatives in other states as well as the representatives and leaders of other international and global organizations. Together, we can amplify the voices of our students and demand change and justice. 

Please sign now and stand with the students of Bangladesh!

Relevant international news articles:

• Reuters: Explainer: Why are Bangladesh students protesting against job quotas?
• ABC News: Bangladesh imposes nationwide curfew as deadly protests over government jobs escalate
• Economic Times: Bangladesh crisis: Army enforces curfew as student-led protests spiral; death toll reaches 115
• France24: Protesters storm prison in Bangladesh, death toll from anti-quota clashes tops 100
• NY Times: Behind Bangladesh Protests, Rage Over Inequality
• Aljazeera: Bangladesh imposes curfew as death toll from student protests mounts