Bangladesh: Student Revolt Sparks Larger Rebellion

On Monday, August 20, Bangladesh soldiers stationed on-campus assaulted Dhaka University students attending a football game. The ensuing reaction against the imposition of barracks on university campuses, and against the authoritarian government in general (which has held a "State of Emergency" for months now) has spread from that campus to schools across the nation, and from there reports now say that the resistance has spread to the general population.

For those familiar with history, this shouldn't be too surprising. Student agitation has often proved the crucial spark of revolt in a populace that has endured oppression and exploitation. The working class sectors of Bangladeshi society have seen their jobs eliminated through privatization, wages and conditions in many sectors of industry still have not been improved (as was promised after last year's massive strike), and widespread flooding has left a countryside devastated and sickened.

If past experience both in Bangladesh and the world in general is any indicator, the current crisis could very well lead to the overthrow of the ruling government.

The BBC is covering the unfolding events, and has quotes from students and civilians there.

In scenarios like the one in Bangladesh, it's often the "student resistance leading to repression leading to greater resistance leading to greater repression" cycle that brings in ever-larger portions of society, in a sort of upward spiral. First it's through sympathy that non-students join, then it becomes solidarity.

That's also why governments and university administrators worth their salt these days know better than to use overwhelming force against students. In the U.S. and elsewhere, they've learned their lesson. Have we?

Sadly, many activists (student and non-student) aren't wise to the change, and still think that trying to provoke the police or campus safety is a useful tactic. It's dumb to think that as a rule we should expect a disproportionately aggressive response on the part of the police when they are provoked, a reaction activists need in order to invoke public sympathy and support. Responses perceived as proportionate (or, of course, as lenient) will actually turn the public against the activists, which means the tactic has done an almost perfect backfire. The conclusion is clear: nine times out of ten, it's just not worth the risk. Thankfully, there are plenty of other tactics which are much more likely to bear fruit...