How PM Hasina's 'razakar' barb became catchword of Bangladesh protests; here's what it means
File photo of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
The deadly protests in Bangladesh have claimed over 115 lives as violent clashes between student-led protestors and security forces continue across the country. While the protests erupted in the wake of reinstatement of 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters and their descendants in government jobs, they have emerged as a flashpoint over Razakars.
Who are Razakar and what does it mean?
In the Bangladeshi society, the worst indignity has been to be branded a Razakar; a member of the East Pakistani volunteer force that worked against Bangladesh's creationduring the 1971 War.
Razakar, which basically means volunteer or helper, who worked with the Pakistan Army in brutalising the local population through murders and sexual crimes to prevent the creation of Bangladesh.
War historians describe Razakars asauxiliary force of the Pakistan army during the 1971 Bangladesh War. Composed of mostly pro-Pakistani Bengalis from Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), the approximate 50,000 Razakars assisted the army in raids against the local population and were accused of committing horrific atrocities.
How 'Razakar' became catchword of Bangladesh protests?
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has labeled protestors as 'Razakars'.
"Why is there so much resentment towards freedom fighters? If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars?' PM Hasina said on July 14.
Protesting students made Hasina's Razakar reference into a street protest phrase. Soon after, Bangladeshi streets were filled with the slogan, "Tui Ke? Ami Ke? Razakar, Razakar/Ke boleche, ke boleche, Sairachar, Sairachar (Who are you? Who am I? We are Razakars. Who is branding us? The dictator, the dictator)".
Bangladesh anti-quota agitation
Anti-quota protests are not new to Bangladesh.
In 2018, after nationwide protests that eventually turned violent, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government cancelled quotas for first and second-class jobs.
This year, on 5 June, the Bangladesh High Court ruled that the 2018 government order was illegal, meaning that the quotas were to be brought back in government recruitments again.
Also watch |Bangladesh protests: What we know so far
While the government appealed against the judgment, protests broke out in Dhaka and outside.
After Hasina's July 15 reference to 'Razakars', the protests have just escalated towards violence.
Tarique Rehman, acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the country’s principal Opposition party, wrote on X that the Hasina government has once again proved "there is no space for innocent students to express their legitimate demands…I call upon everyone, regardless of party affiliation, to unite against the atrocities of this government."
(With inputs from agencies)