In Bangladesh, the quota reform movement on Tuesday became violent; 3 people killed and more than hundred injured in different cities of bangladesh including the capital Dhaka. At least two people were killed during a clash between quota reform protesters and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League in Chattogram and A student of Rangpur’s Begum Rokeya University was killed during a clash between police and quota reform protesters on the university campus.
The traffic movement in Dhaka became standstill on Tuesday morning as students demanding quota reform blocked different important points in the capital. The agitating students have blocked roads in Chattogram, Rangpur, Rajshahi and other cities of Bangladesh including highways in different parts of the country .The rail lines at several locations, including Dhaka’s Mohakhali have been blocked by the agitators, leading to a halt in train services.
The ruling Awami League’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) allegedly attacked the agitating students in Dhaka University on Sunday night, spreading the quota reforms agitation across the country.
The students from across Bangladesh have staged demonstrations, blockades at different places of several districts protesting against the BCL’s attacks on the quota protestors and demanding reforms in the quota system.
Earlier, on July 1 students of different public universities launched a quota movement. The students were demanding the cancellation of a High Court order dated June 5 that asked the Bangladesh government to reinstate 30 percent job quotas for the descendants of freedom fighters of 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh.
After the independence of Bangladesh, 30 percent of the jobs were reserved for freedom fighters. In 1997, the government extended the quota to children of freedom fighters. In 2010, it was further expanded to include the grandchildren of freedom fighters.
In 2018, following nationwide protests against this quota system, a government circular cancelled the quota system for first- and second-class jobs. However, on June 5, 2024, the High Court ruled on a writ petition filed by the descendant of a freedom fighter and six others. The HC said the 2018 circular was illegal, meaning quotas were re-established in government recruitment once more. The government has appealed this ruling.
By Navalsang Parmar (Dhaka)
