University students in Dhaka blockade the Shahbagh intersection on Thursday, defying heavy rain. They are protesting against the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs by the High Court. The students lifted their over five-hour blockade later in the evening after announcing new programmes of their campaign. — FE Photo by Asad-Uz-Zaman Public university students in their thousands across the country erupted into a storm of protests against the reinstatement of quota for freedom fighters in government jobs on Thursday.
Students from Dhaka University (DU), Jahangirnagar University (JU), Rajshahi University (RU), Chattogram University (CU), Jagannath University and Islamic University and from affiliated colleges staged demonstrations on the third consecutive day.
Our DU correspondent reports: Thousands of DU students marched in procession on the campus. At one stage of the demo, they blocked Shahbagh intersection for five hours, halting traffic.
They shouted slogans like 'Quota or merit?' 'Merit, merit' and 'No disparity on this golden Bangla'.
However, they announced to observe online and offline countrywide mass contact today (Friday).
On Saturday, a protest march will be taken out from all universities and colleges at 3:00 pm. Meanwhile, a strike will be observed on Sunday amid boycott of class tests.
Meanwhile, BCL leaders and activists stayed alert outside different dormitories since morning to resist students from joining the protest rally at Shahbagh.
A forth-year student of Surya Sen Hall said, "Future generations will suffer unless the quota is abolished. We want to join the quota-free movement, but Chhatra League was not allowing us to leave the hall."
Our JU correspondent adds: JU students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in protest.
"We won't cease our protests until the quota system is abolished," cautioned the protesters.
In 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration cancelled quotas, including 10 per cent for women, 30 per cent for freedom fighters and 10 per cent for districts in direct recruitment from grades 09 to 13.
In another development, more than 2,000 RU students blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway for two hours.
Hundreds of vehicles got stuck on either side of the busy highway as their blockade ended at 12:30 pm.
Earlier, the students held a protest rally and procession on Paris Road and took position on the highway adjacent to the university's main gate.
They chanted slogans like 'Let quota discrimination be eradicated, merit gets priority', 'No place for quota system in Bangabandhu's Bangla' and 'No room for discrimination in Bangabandhu's Bangla'.
According to the student protesters, the quota system is a curse for general students. Some people benefit from the quota facility, while general students are deprived of jobs based on merit.
The movement will continue unless all but two quotas (10 per cent for women and 10 per cent for districts) are not abolished immediately, they warn.
Nazneen Fatema, an honors fourth-year student of biochemistry, said, "We are here to demand that the freedom-fighter quota be lifted."
Humayun Kabir, another student, said, "We're not against any freedom fighter or the country's independence, but we are anti the FF quota."
Meanwhile, The apex court decision on the freedom fighter quota in class one and two government jobs will take more time, as the hearing on a case regarding the issue has been adjourned.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the adjournment order following a time prayer filed by those who are in favour of quota system.
Consequently, the High Court verdict that restored freedom fighters' quota in class one and two government jobs has been upheld automatically till further order, according to a lawyer concerned.
Earlier, the government filed a petition seeking stay on the HC judgment which came for hearing on Thursday.
During the hearing, lawyer of the writ petitioners who sought restoration of quota system sought time from the court as their senior counsels were not present in the court.
Adjourning the hearing, the apex court asked the government to submit a leave to appeal petition with this court after the release of the full text of the HC verdict.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the state while lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju appeared for the writ petitioners.
Earlier on June 5 this year, the High Court bench of Justice K M Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared illegal a government decision that abolished freedom fighter quota in class one and two government jobs.
Deputy Attorney General Sk Shaifuzzaman Shaif then said that freedom fighter quota has been reinstated following the High Court order.
The government on October 4 in 2018 abolished all types of quota in class one and two government jobs. The decision triggered protests by descendants of freedom fighters who had been enjoying 30 per cent quota in all government jobs.
Later in 2021 seven job seekers who are the descendents of freedom fighters filed a writ petition challenging the government decision that abolished freedom fighter quota in class one and two government jobs.
Upon hearing on the petition, the High Court on December 7 in 2021 issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the decision taken by them should not be declared illegal.
After hearing on the rule, the High Court bench on June 5 declared the rule absolute.
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