Last updated on August 27th, 2024 at 06:40 pm
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has scrapped most of the government job quotas that led to violent student protests and left at least 114 dead. The court verdict apportions 93 percent of the government jobs on merit, leaving 7 percent for the relatives of veterans of the 1971 independence war, among others, whereas until now 30 percent of these positions were reserved for the relatives of war veterans.
Although the quota system was scrapped by the government headed by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself in 2018, a lower court in the capital restored it last month following petitions filed by the veterans’ families. It paved the way for mass protests and for a coercive response by the government.
The capital has been turned into a fortress of military patrol, and the internet blackout across the country preceded the court’s decision. The Home Minister of the country, Asaduzzaman Khan, announced a brief reprieve of the curfew on Sunday afternoon for essential activities. The government said Sunday and Monday will be public holidays, too, for which operations will run just emergency services.
In various areas of the city, police fired tear-gas rounds, rubber bullets, and smoke-screen shells over the week to disperse a series of demonstrations by protesters who had taken to the streets and campuses. Scattered clashes continued in Dhaka, with full impact in terms of fatalities not clear.
The protests underpin deep frustrations among young people over job prospects and highlight the economic strains in Bangladesh. They are also a key test for Prime Minister Hasina, who just took office for the fourth consecutive term after elections in January boycotted by main opposition groups.
Protesters say the quota system is discriminatory and works in favor of supporters of Awami League party of Hasina. Hasina, while defending the quotas, said the nation has to acknowledge contributions of the freedom fighters.
The quota protesters asked the government to reform the system and open the police-locked student dormitories and also take measures against university officials responsible for failing to ensure the security of the students on campus. In this respect, discussions on Friday were held, with an expression from Law Minister Anisul Huq saying the government would be willing to meet the protesters’ demands.
Leading opposition party the Bangladesh Nationalist Party sided with protests by students in universities and schools. Demonstrations also are on their agenda: “The BNP rallies signaled a broader mood of discontent among its supporters,” the party said.
