Around 3,000 Nepali students are reported to be stranded in Bangladesh as discontent over the quota system for government jobs in Bangladesh escalated into widespread violence this week.

A Nepalese student in Bangladesh, in a conversation with Aawaaj News, stated, “The situation here in Bangladesh has been out of control and deteriorating over the last few days. There are people fighting in the streets and protests are occurring everywhere. Numerous unidentified groups are harassing people, including students, and many have been injured or killed. There are approximately 150 Nepali students in our college, and our parents are extremely concerned. However, our college is not allowing us to go outside or return home. Staying inside the hostel does not seem to be a viable solution, as there have been reports of attacks on students within hostels as well”.

The instruction from the institution is reiterated by the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Issuing a press release on June 17th, Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, has urged all the students in Bangladesh to remain inside their hostel and follow instructions from college. The release also mentions that the Embassy is closely monitoring the development for the protest and is continuously communicating and coordinating with Bangladesh government agencies and related college administration to ensure the peace and safety of all Nepali students.

Meanwhile, students who have been monitoring the situation are expressing concerns over their safety. “It appears that the government of Nepal is not fully aware of the severity of the situation, which is worsening by the day. New videos of the violence are surfacing on social media regularly. Although we have contacted the Embassy, they have only advised us to stay safe and have not provided any information regarding evacuation or any other solutions”, another student shared.

The unrest marks the first significant challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government since her controversial fourth-term victory in January, following an election boycott by the main opposition. The protests stem from anger over a public sector job quota that reserves 30% of positions for family members of freedom fighters from the 1971 War of Independence. With high youth unemployment affecting nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis out of a population of 170 million, many students see the quota as unfairly limiting their job prospects.

The situation turned violent on Monday when thousands of students took to the streets to demand the abolition of the quota system. At Dhaka University, protesters clashed with members of the Awami League’s student wing, leading to pelting of rocks and other incidents of violence. Violence soon spread to other universities, including Jahangir Nagar University in Savar and institutions in Rangpur and other regions.

On Tuesday, the protests intensified as tens of thousands of students continued to rally, blocking major highways and rail links. Riot police and paramilitary border forces were deployed to university campuses and major cities to control the disturbances. Despite these efforts, the clashes resulted in at least six deaths and numerous injuries.

The protesters argue that the quota system is discriminatory and primarily benefits supporters of Prime Minister Hasina. Members of the ruling party have said the protests is backed by leaders of the opposition, however the students have denied such affiliations. While the quota system also includes reservations for women, disabled individuals, and ethnic minorities, the current protests are focused on the veterans’ families’ quota.

In 2018, the quota system was temporarily halted following mass student protests and a subsequent court order. However, last month, the High Court reinstated the system, sparking renewed outrage among students. The Supreme Court has since suspended the High Court’s order for four weeks and urged students to return to classes, but the protests have persisted.

Prime Minister Hasina defended the quota system on Tuesday, emphasizing the sacrifices made by veterans of the 1971 war. “Abandoning the dream of their own life, leaving behind their families, parents and everything, they joined the war with whatever they had,” she said at an event in her office in Dhaka.