Bangla Blockade movement of anti-quota students started across the country

A protest march has started on Sunday (July 7) as a part of the ‘Bangla Blockade’ program to demand 4 points including canceling the quota system in government jobs and reinstate the circular issued by the government in 2018. The procession started in front of the Dhaka University Library at around 3:20 PM. The procession traveled through various roads of the campus and stopped at Shahbagh intersection via TSC. They blocked the Shahbag intersection and stopped traffic. However, the movement of metro rail over the Shahbag junction is normal.

This program has started under the banner of ‘anti-discrimination student movement’. Initially, the agitating students came to Shahbag intersection with a procession from Dhaka University. Then, one by one, they closed the four roads of Shahbagh intersection.

In the procession, the students are chanting slogans such as ‘Take the path of Ekattar, make the Bangla blockade successful’, ‘Kota na Medha, Medha Medha’ etc. Although the movement was not stopped, the leaders and activists of BCL gathered at Madhur canteen.

Due to the closure of this important intersection of the capital, there has been a severe traffic jam in the area around Shahbagh. Even the vehicles which were staying around Shah Bagh before the junction was closed were also stranded. Common passengers have suffered greatly.

Earlier, students started gathering in front of the library from 2.30 pm onwards. Students continued to come with the banner of various residential halls and departments of Dhaka University. Around 3:30, the road in front of the library became a sea of ​​people.

Students are continuing their agitation with 4 point demands. The demands are—

1. Abolition of quota system announced in 2018 and retention of merit based recruitment circular.

2. Expeditious abolition of unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs (except underprivileged and disabled) by constituting a commission subject to the circular being upheld.

3. Quota facility cannot be availed more than once in the recruitment examination of government jobs and in case of non availability of eligible candidates in the quota vacancies are to be appointed on merit basis.

4. Taking effective measures to ensure a corruption-free, impartial and merit-based bureaucracy.

Meanwhile, the anti-quota movement students are also holding class-examination boycott and student strike program in various universities and colleges including Dhaka University on Sunday. Apart from this, roads are being blocked at various important points in the capital.

Incidentally, till 2018 there was 56 percent quota in government jobs in Bangladesh. Out of this, 30 percent seats were reserved for freedom fighters, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for residents of backward districts, 5 percent for people from minority ethnic groups and 1 percent for disabled persons.

That year, there were large protests in various educational institutions of the country, including Dhaka University, demanding quota reform. The agitating students demanded that the quota system be reformed and brought down from 56 percent to 10 percent. Later, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular canceling all types of quotas in government jobs (first and second class).

In 2021, some children of freedom fighters filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the ‘Abolition of Muktijoddha Quota’ section of the circular. In the judgment of that writ, the court declared that part of the circular invalid on June 5 this year. Then on June 9, the state filed an application to suspend the judgment of the High Court. On that day, the Chamber Court sent this application to the Appellate Division for hearing.

On that day Attorney General AM Amin Uddin said that the Appellate Division will take the final decision on whether the High Court’s decision to cancel the first and second class freedom fighter quota system in government jobs will be upheld or canceled.

Later, on Thursday (July 4), a six-judge appellate bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan declared the government’s decision to cancel the freedom fighter quota illegal and ordered the High Court’s ruling to be upheld for the time being. Students and job aspirants have been protesting for the past one week.