Thous thousands of people gather in the streets of BANGLADESH to demand government reform: a cry for change

July 22, 2024

DHAKa, BANGLadESH

Thousands of demonstrators calling for extensive government reforms crowded Dhaka, Bangladesh’s streets on July 22, 2024 Coordinated by a partnership of civil society organisations and opposition parties, the event sought to raise awareness of the mounting unhappiness with the present government.

BanghadeESH in Crisis

With around 160 million people, Bangladesh has been confronting political, social, and financial difficulties among other things. The population’s hopelessness and despair resulting from the government’s neglect of these problems is great.

ECONOMIC Challenges

Rising inflation: 8% (2024 estimation)
Depreciating money: 20% (2023–2024).
– $10 billion (2023 est.) growing trade imbalance
– 4.3% (2023 est.) high rates of unemployment
Thirty percent of the population (2023 estimate) is impoverished generally.
Economic losses: billions of lost income and production

Political challenges abound.

Human Rights Watch reports that since demonstrations started, over 10,000 people have been arrested; increasing authoritarianism; suppressing dissent; lack of responsibility and openness; erosion of public institution trust.

Social challenges

Rising food rates: +20% (2023–2024)
Affecting hundreds of thousands of households, water shortages; power outages; social inequities; over half of the population supports demonstrations (source: public opinion poll).

Protests Data:

At least 500 people hurt in conflicts with security personnel (local hospitals)
Protests caused an estimated $1 billion loss in the economy ( Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce).
Protests include twenty different districts (local news sources).
More than one hundred protest leaders were arrested from (oppression party sources)

LOSSES

Human losses resulting from poverty, hunger, and inadequate access to fundamental needs
Social losses include growing inequality, disintegration of social cohesiveness, and mistrust of institutions.
Economic losses: billions of lost income and output

Concluding

The demonstrations in Bangladesh are a cry for change, a demand for a brighter future, and a call to a government that really reflects the interests of the people. The administration has to pay attention to the voices of the demonstrators and react right away to handle urgent problems confronting the nation. Change is happening right now.