What is 'Broiler Chicken Party' that has emerged in Bangladesh
What's the story
In response to a viral audio clip comparing Bangladeshi Gen-Z students to "farm chickens," they have launched a satirical platform called the "Broiler Chicken Party" on Facebook. The page was launched on Tuesday with the slogan "We are not insulted, We are awakened." It quickly gained over 1,700 followers in hours and has since been filled with memes, photos, and videos targeting authorities.
Protest context
The initiative amplifies student demands
The online initiative was launched in direct response to derogatory remarks made against students protesting in heavy rain and waterlogging.
The students had been protesting for a few days, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milan over his decision to hold Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations despite bad weather.
Amid the protest, an audio clip circulated widely on social media in which Milon allegedly referred to HSC candidates as "farm chickens."
Milon
What Milon said
In the recording, he said, "I was saying at the meeting that they are farm chickens. If rain falls on their heads, they catch a fever. My daughter does. They will run and jump to the exam center, get soaked in the rain and won't be able to sit the next day's exam properly. Then I called the director general at the weather broadcasting center, and they said it would stop raining overnight."
Apology
Students can retake tests
The phrase "farm chickens" later featured prominently in protest slogans, with students chanting, "Who are you? Who are we? Farm chickens," and "Who said it? The education minister."
Milon has since apologized for the remarks and said the Physics First Paper, Accounting First Paper and Logic First Paper tests of the ongoing HSC exams, held on Monday, may be retaken.
"I did not intend to target anyone. If anyone has been hurt, I sincerely apologize," he said.
Movement comparison
Movement could inspire similar youth protests
The "Broiler Chicken Party" has drawn comparisons to India's satirical movement, the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP).
The CJP was launched in May after Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant allegedly called unemployed youngsters in the legal profession "cockroaches" and "parasites."
Started by Indian student Abhijit Deepak in the US, it snowballed into a massive youth-led street movement against unemployment and recruitment irregularities.
Activists believe the Bangladeshi initiative could similarly spark larger youth protests.