In Bangladesh, weeks of demonstrations opposing the government job quota system escalated into a widespread movement, compelling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and leave the country.
The protests started calmly weeks ago, mainly driven by students disillusioned with a system they claimed benefited those with ties to the ruling party. However, the situation swiftly turned violent, leading to the deaths of nearly 300 people.
Young people, especially students, have often been key players in global popular movements that have toppled governments or compelled them to alter their policies.
Protests in Sri Lanka
Similar to Bangladesh, massive protests in Sri Lanka in 2022 successfully led to the downfall of a government, with young people playing a crucial role.
Initial scattered protests evolved into extended demonstrations beginning in March 2022 as the economic crisis in the Indian Ocean island nation deepened. This crisis led to shortages of fuel, cooking gas, and other essentials, as well as prolonged power outages.
In April, demonstrators, mainly university students and young people, took over an area next to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office in Colombo, urging him and his government to resign.
More people joined each day, establishing a tent camp called “Gota Go Gama” or “Gota Go Village,” a reference to the President’s nickname “Gota.” Camp organizers, many of whom were university students, conducted daily media briefings and gave frequent speeches, while the crowd enjoyed performances by bands and plays.
In response, the government imposed a curfew, declared a state of emergency, authorized the military to detain civilians, and restricted social media access, but these measures failed to halt the protests.