Why students’ moral uprising being robbed?

Students in Bangladesh are no longer confined to the lessons of the classroom alone. They are now voicing, loudly and clearly, in the streets, squares, digital platforms and media – that the structural inequality, corruption and opportunism in this country can no longer continue. This moral awakening of the youth is not just a symbol of a government’s fall, but the beginning of a new way of thinking about the state.

This is no longer just protest – this is a moral uprising. The students standing on the streets are not bearers of any partisan ideology; rather, they have become the conscience of a scorched society. In their eyes, there is shame, questions, and awakened values – a natural reaction against long-standing inequality and the privileged class structure of the state. When justice silently weeps in the dark alleys of corruption, it is these young people who speak out: “We will not remain silent.”

Today, they are demanding a system of governance where teachers, farmers, domestic workers or sweepers – all receive dignity, security and justice. If the state exists only as a guard of wealth for a few, then it is no longer a state of the people. This movement has come to break that divide – to change the consciousness, to challenge the structure. This is not an emotion driven by rumour – it is a conscience-driven, fact-based revolution.

For years, a small, powerful class has enjoyed special privileges by holding positions in government administration, the military, police, and other high posts. During their service, they receive high salaries, various allowances, and upon retirement are granted plots in elite areas of the capital at symbolic prices. In contrast, those who genuinely serve the country through teaching, medicine, engineering, agriculture, labour, or ordinary government jobs – they do not get a dignified retired life or minimum social security.

In this context, the issues raised under the leadership of students can be summarised into five clear demands:

1. To reduce the pressure on Dhaka, it is urgent to relocate cantonments, administrative buildings and rehabilitate retired officials. Dhaka is one of the most densely populated, traffic-congested and polluted cities in the world. Yet in the very centre of this city lie the cantonment, ministries, the Supreme Court, and institutions like Dhaka Central Jail, all of which could be relocated elsewhere.

Moreover, thousands of retired high-ranking officials – from the army, police, administration, judiciary, and others – live in elite areas of the capital with special privileges. There must be modern and respectable housing arrangements for them outside the capital so that civic amenities become accessible to all and the balance of the capital is maintained. To transform the capital from merely a “centre of power” into a liveable, humane city, decentralisation and relocation of administration is now a necessity.

2. Working-class people should no longer have to live in slums, because those who drive buses, sweep streets, and provide various services – they should not be forced to live in slums even after a lifetime of work. This is a matter of shame for the state. Ensuring minimum housing, healthcare and retirement security for them is the responsibility of the state.

3. Anti-corruption agencies must not be polluted by bribes and political influence, because a cycle of bribery and illegal settlements has developed inside government revenue and accountability institutions like the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Tax Office, the Land Office, etc. If these institutions are not made independent, effective, and accountable to the public, the desired change will not come.

4. A long-term war against corruption must begin with moral education. Especially in the judiciary, administration, education and health sectors, unethical practices are increasing. The fight against corruption cannot rely on law alone – it must begin in schools. Children must be instilled with a belief in justice, self-restraint, a sense of responsibility and awareness against dishonesty.

5. Special attention must be given so that those who provide service receive dignity and security. Office drivers, domestic helpers, cleaners or farmers – those who serve silently – must not be neglected. There should be definite guarantees for pensions, healthcare and retirement for them. This neglect is anti-humanitarian and a gross failure of state policy.

This student-led movement has called for the construction of a value-based state. This is not merely political – it is a moral reawakening. Now is the time to accept the voices of these young people with respect. The time has come to build a Bangladesh of equality, humanity and justice.

This movement is not just about meeting five demands – it is a call for the state to look at itself in the mirror. How have we kept some people on the mountain of privilege for so long, and pushed those who provide real service to the margins of neglect? The youth are asking that question, and not answering it means evading responsibility for the future.

Now, state policy can no longer continue along the old rigid lines – we need a new vision of the state, where service is the basis of recognition, not privilege. The moral tone resonating at the heart of this movement is not confined to time; it is a sound rising from the soul of Bangladesh – of justice, dignity, and democracy. Those who stand on the streets today are not merely rebelling – they are teaching us.

Now is the time not just to hear – but to hold in the heart. If these youthful voices are ignored, then the state will not just lose a generation – it will lose its own future, its map and its identity. To build a new Bangladesh, we need dignity based on justice, we need to see people as people. The sacrifices of this revolution will only be fulfilled when the state itself declares – everyone matters, not just the privileged.

Rahman Mridha: Researcher, writer and former director, Pfizer Sweden