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No progress in quota reform

April 20, 2018 00:00:00


The government is yet to make any progress in abolishing the quota system in civil service jobs since the announcement made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament more than a week ago, reports bdnews24.com.

"There is no progress on the issue," Senior Public Administration Secretary Md Mozzammel Haque told the news agency.

"We are yet to receive any directive on the formation of a quota reform committee headed by the cabinet secretary."

According to the system, 56 per cent posts are reserved for different quotas, including 30 per cent for children of freedom fighters, 10 per cent each for women and particular districts, 5 per cent for small ethnic groups, and 1 per cent for people with disabilities.

Over the last two months, students and job seekers under the banner of Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Council have been waging protests against the quota system for government jobs.

The protests turned violent on April 8 when police fired teargas shells and charged batons to disperse them on the Dhaka University campus.

During the protests, some unidentified men ransacked the residence of the DU vice-chancellor on April 9.

That prompted the Prime Minister to announce a plan in parliament to abolish the entire quota system on April 11.

Protesters postponed the programme but threatened to go for waging protests if their demand is not met.

After a week, anti-quota demonstrators issued a seven-day ultimatum for the authorities to withdraw the cases filed over the attacks on the vice chancellor's residence.


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