'Who am I? Razakar!': What's behind the rallying cry of Bangladesh protesters?

The slogan "Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar!" has become a war cry for the student protesters across the streets of Bangladesh. With the police failing to control violent protests against a controversial government job quota system, armed forces began patrolling the streets of Bangladesh after the government imposed a nationwide curfew.

Protests turned violent after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's remark on the demonstrations.

On July 14, Hasina said, “If the grandchildren of freedom fighters do not receive [quota] benefits, who would get it? The grandchildren of Razakars?”

Angered by the statement, the protesting students shot back: “Tui ke? Ami ke? Razakar, Razakar! (Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar!)”.

On Friday, protestors stormed the central jail in Narsingdi and freed the facility’s inmates before setting it on fire. At least 115 people have died in protests amid a ban on public gatherings. Students have accused the police of partnering with the ruling Awami League's student wing Chhatra League and unleashing widespread brutality. Normal life was thrown out of gear as telecommunication services were disrupted, and news channels broadcast was taken off air. Several countries, including India, have issued travel advisories and nearly 1000 Indian students have returned home so far.

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Who are Razakars in Bangladesh?

In short, Razakars refers to a militia force that helped the Pakistan Armed forces to crush pro-independence supporters in the East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, during 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war.

Origins of Razakars can be traced to the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad in post-independence India, Dr Muntasir Mamoon, Bangabandhu Chair at Bangladesh’s Chittagong University told the Indian Express. They were a paramilitary force the Nawab of Hyderabad used to resist integration with India post-1947. After the defeat of Razakars in Operation Polo by India, its leader Qazim Rizvi migrated to Pakistan.

In May 1971, Maulana Abul Kalam Muhammad Yusuf, a senior member of the Jamaat-e-Islami formed the first set of Razakars in East Pakistan's Khulna. Armed Razakars comprised migarted Biharis and socio-economically deprived poor people, who helped the Pakistan Army to suppress pro-independence freedom fighters and terrorise civilians during the war. In modern Bangladesh, the worst form of slur and indignity is to be labelled as a ‘Razakar’.

Protesting students have quickly latched on to the word as a form of retort to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's statement, which they felt as deeply offensive. Another slogan that has become a rallying cry is “Chaite gelam odhikar, hoye gelam Razakar.” (“I went to ask for rights; instead became a Razakar.”)

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked if the protestors really understood the history of Bangladesh and the role of Razakars in 1971 genocide and crimes against Bangladeshi women. “They did not witness the bodies lying in the streets, yet they feel no shame in calling themselves Razakars,” she reacted angrily.

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What are Bangladesh students protesting?

The country's system reserves 56 per cent of government jobs for certain groups. Among this, 30 per cent is reserved for the descendants of veterans from 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war. Protesting students feel the current government job quota system is against merit and deeply unfair. They also say it benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's first Prime Minister and a hero of 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war.

Tensions over the quota system is not new to Bangladesh. In 2018, the Bangladesh government scrappped the freedom quota after the protesters demanded that the quota be capped at 10%. On June 5, a division court of Bangladesh Supreme Court struck down the government circular and restored the 30 per cent quota system for freedom fighters on a petition filed by the children of veterans. The ruling Awami League has said it agrees with the sentiments of students. It has appeled for calm till the Supreme Court hears the governemnt's appeal against the High Court roder on August 7.

(With inputs from AP, Reuters)

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