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July 22, 2024

Bangladesh Rolls Back Gov't Job Quota Rule Following Student Protests That Killed at Least 160
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In Bangladesh, the government rolled back, but stopped short of
abolishing, its highly contested quota system for public sector jobs,
after massive student protests that killed 160 demonstrators amid a
brutal crackdown. This is a lawyer for the students.

Shah Monjurul Hoque: "The Supreme Court, according to Article 104, gave
a final solution to this quota system. That is 93% quota for general
people, 5% quota for freedom fighters and their kin, 1% for the ethnic
minority community and 1% for third gender and physically disabled."

Over 500 others have been arrested since Bangladesh's High Court
reinstated the quota last month, which reserved up to 30% of the coveted
government positions for the relatives of soldiers who fought in
Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971. But students are
vowing to resume the now-suspended protests until the new rule is
implemented, a curfew fully lifted, schools reopened, and detained
students and protest leaders released. In response to the student
uprising, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the
army to use deadly force against protesters and imposed a nationwide
curfew and a communications blackout.


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