Quota Reform Movement: 'Bangla Blockade' Begins, PM Labels It Unreasonable

• Bangla Blockade' in Shahbagh Demands Quota System Abolition and Merit-Based Recruitment

• Protesters Block Roads in Shahbagh Under 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' Banner

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Deems Anti-Quota Movement Unjustified

Quota Reform Movement: 'Bangla Blockade' Begins

The agitators are holding the 'Bangla Blockade' program in Shahbagh, the capital, to demand the abolition of the quota system in government jobs and the retention of merit-based recruitment circulars.

On Sunday, the procession started in front of the Dhaka University library at 3:20 pm under the banner of the 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement'. The procession passed through various roads of the campus and halted at Shahbagh intersection at 3:52 pm, where the protesters blocked the road, stopping traffic. A vigilant police presence was observed during the blockade.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commented, "There is a movement to cancel the quota. Quota was discontinued. But the judgment of the High Court was upheld. Boys and girls are agitating by abandoning studies. There is no justification for this."

In the procession, the students chanted slogans such as 'Take the path of Ekattar, make the Bangla blockade successful', and 'Kota na Medha, Medha Medha' (Not Quota, Merit Merit).

Earlier on Saturday, the protesting students announced the 'Bangla Blockade' program across the country at 3 pm on Sunday during the blockade of Shahbagh intersection in the capital to demand the abolition of the quota system and the retention of the merit-based recruitment circular of 2018.

The agitating students and job aspirants have been protesting and blocking roads for several days, demanding four key points, including canceling the quota system in government jobs and reinstating the circular issued by the government in 2018.

PM Sheikh Hasina: Quota Issue Should Be Settled in Supreme Court, Movement Unjustified

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that the issue of quotas in government jobs should be settled in the Supreme Court. She emphasized, "The High Court has given its verdict, and protesting against it in this manner is subjudice. The government cannot intervene in this matter; it must be resolved through the High Court."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made these remarks on Sunday morning when leaders visited her at Ganobhaban to mark the 22nd founding anniversary of the Jubo Mahila League. She also noted that students are abandoning their education to participate in the anti-quota movement.

The Prime Minister said, "Today, I must address the quota movement. There are calls to cancel quotas for our freedom fighters and women's quotas. These quotas were abolished once before, but what was the outcome? If we look at the results of the Public Service Commission examinations, we see that the number of girls benefiting from the quota has decreased in recent years. This is the reality. Many individuals from various districts and remote areas have also been deprived of opportunities. Due to such deprivation, some have filed cases, leading to High Court verdicts. We do not always follow the High Court's judgment, but now we see the anti-quota movement resurging. Boys and girls are engaging in this movement, neglecting their studies.

Read more: BNP Extends Moral Support to Justified Demands

Sheikh Hasina said, 'Here I have a question, how many of those who had earlier protested against quota, took the exam in the Public Service Commission and how many passed, it is necessary to find out the calculation. Let them show that they passed more exams, girls got more jobs with more exams or not? Let them prove that first.' He further said, 'And the High Court's verdict, to protest against it like this, is subjudice. Because, we cannot say anything about this from the government. Because, if the High Court gives a verdict, it has to come again from the High Court.

She said, "I don't think there is any justification for wasting the time of studies which is being done again in the name of movement today.

Agitators in Anti-Quota Movement Present Four Key Demands

The ongoing anti-quota movement has seen agitators presenting specific demands. They are calling for:

• The cancellation of the quota system in government jobs as announced in 2018 and the maintenance of a merit-based recruitment circular.

• The formation of a commission to eliminate unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs, considering only the backward communities as per the constitution.

• The restriction that the quota facility cannot be used more than once in government job recruitment examinations, and if there are no qualified candidates for the quota, the vacant posts should be filled based on merit.

• Effective measures to ensure a corruption-free, impartial, and merit-based bureaucracy.

Students have taken to the streets for the sixth consecutive day with anti-quota stance. They plan to block important junctions in the capital and highways adjacent to campuses across the country.

Blockade of anti-quota students at Science Lab intersection. Photo: Daily Star

According to the programme, students of DU and other universities and colleges will block important intersections in Chankharpool, Shahbagh, Sciencelab, Agargaon, Mohakhali and Paltan areas of the capital.  However, today's Rath Yatra will not fall under the 'Bangla Blockade'.

According to the students announcement, college and university students will go on an indefinite strike from today demanding the abolition of the quota system.