DU students block Shahbagh intersection demanding quota abolition
The blockade took place from 3:45pm till 4:45pm.
Students of Dhaka University block Shahbagh intersection in the capital today (2 July). Photo: TBS
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Students of Dhaka University block Shahbagh intersection in the capital today (2 July). Photo: TBS
Students of Dhaka University blocked Shahbagh intersection in the capital this afternoon (2 July), demanding the reinstatement of a 2018 circular that abolished quota in government jobs.
The blockade took place from 3:45pm till 4:45pm.
Students first gathered in front of the central library of the university at 2:30pm.
Later, about 2,000 students carried out a procession that went round different residential halls and then the Nilkhet intersection.
Photo: TBS
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Photo: TBS
From there, they reached Shahbagh intersection via New Elephant Road and blocked the road.
During the blockade, more than 50 police officers were present with helmets on their heads and sticks and firearms in their hands.
Abdul Kadir, a student of the Department of Sociology, said, “Our movement will continue until the hearing of the Supreme Court on 4 July. The students will continue the movement ignoring all the sun and rain until their demands are met.”
Abu Musa, student of the Political Science Department, said, “The discrimination with ordinary students is reminiscent of pre-independence exploitation and oppression. Depriving a state of talent in this way will create major obstacles to development and good governance.”
The main demand of the students is reinstatement of the government’s 2018 decision that abolished the quota system for the children of freedom fighters in government jobs (9th-13th grade). The second demand is to establish a committee to reform the quota system.
The third demand is to fill seats based on merit rather than quotas in cases where allocated quota seats remain unfilled. Finally, they demand increased transparency in the administrative activities.
Photo: TBS
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Photo: TBS
Meanwhile, students of Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway with the same demand around 4pm today.
Besides, students of Barisal University blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway for an hour from 11:30am to 12:30pm protesting restoration of quota system in government jobs.
The High Court on 5 June declared the 2018 circular abolishing the freedom fighter quota in government jobs illegal. As a result, the 30% quota for freedom fighters in first and second-class government jobs remains in effect. The decision sparked student protests across the country against the quota system.
The government has appealed against the High Court’s decision and the court has scheduled a hearing for 4 July, keeping the reinstatement of quotas in effect until then.
Earlier till 2018, 56% of posts in government jobs were reserved for various quotas. Among them, 30% was allocated for the children of freedom fighters, 10% for women, 10% for districts, 5% for minority groups, and 1% for the disabled. Later, in view of the agitation by a section of students, the Cabinet recommended to abolish quotas in first and second class jobs and to employ them on the basis of merit.
On 4 October 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular amending the existing quota system for first and second class government jobs. However, the government maintained the quota system in the third and fourth classes.
