According to lawyers, the highest court of Bangladesh temporarily suspended the quotas for top government jobs that had been staged by thousands of students across the nation because they believed that it was unfair.
The quota regime sets aside over half of the well-paid, highly competitive civil service jobs – numbering hundreds of thousands of government vacancies – for certain groups such as the children of war veterans.
Earlier this month, students launched protests calling for a merit-based system and blocking roads and railway lines on Wednesday.
“We will not return to classrooms until our demand is met,” AFP quoted Rasel Ahmed, head of the movement at Chittagong University as saying.
In 2018, weeks of protest led to the abolition of the quota system which was then reinstated by Dhaka’s High Court in June to the chagrin of the students.
Lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque who represents two applicants seeking an end to the quota system told AFP that for a month this order has been suspended by Supreme Court
Hoque added that Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan had also requested that students return to class.
However, student groups disregarded this plea and continued blocking major highways and railway tracks resulting into massive traffic snarl up in much capital Dhaka and several other major towns are halted down.
“This (court) order is temporary. We want a permanent executive order from the government, saying that the quotas are abolished, except some quotas for disabled people or minorities” declared Parvez Mosharraf who attends Dhaka University as a student.
He was one among many dozens students who laid timber logs on rail track at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka forcing train services connecting with northern part Bangladesh to stop operating.
‘Limited number of jobs’ –
Of these posts 30 percent are reserved for offspring whose parents fought Bangladeshi freedom in 1971 , 10 percent each go for women and specific districts’ residents
Students argued leaving only those supporting ethnic minorities and disabled people – six percent of all slots.
“We don’t also want the job quotas for women because women are no longer lagging behind,” female student Meena Rani Das, 22, told AFP.
“Women are marching ahead with their talents. But the quota system is creating obstacles and snatching our rights.”
According to critics, this benefits children of pro-government groups who support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was Bangladesh’s founding father; he is her father.
In January, aged 76 , Hasina won her fourth straight general election without participation by real opposition parties amid widespread boycotts and severe repression against political opponents.
Critics feel that Bangladeshi courts merely endorse decisions made by her government.
Hasina has attacked the protests saying that they have already been concluded in court.
“Students are wasting their time,” said Hasina on Sunday adding “no justification for the anti-quota movement.”
Bangladesh police revealed that thousands of scholars barricaded key intersections in Dhaka and also blocked major highways leading to other cities on Wednesday.
“At least 200 students” blocked the highway to Dhaka, according to Hemayetul Islam, deputy police chief in Rajshahi city in northwest Bangladesh
“This quota system stops brilliant students from getting jobs they desire,” said Halimatuz Sadia a physics student at Chittagong University who is taking part in demonstrations against it.
“You work hard only to find out that there are only a limited number of jobs available,” she added.
