19 more killed across country

At least 19 more people were killed across the country on July 21 last year as protests continued for the second day amid the nationwide curfew while the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) revoked the High Court (HC) verdict regarding quota in public jobs, reports BSS.
The apex court nullified the HC court order issued on June 5 last year that declared a 2018 government circular abolishing quotas in first and second class government jobs illegal, triggering the student movement for quota reform.
The Appellate Division pronounced the verdict at around 01:00 pm on July 21, fixing 93 per cent public service recruitment based on merit and five per cent for freedom fighters' descendants, one per cent for ethnic minorities and one percent for persons with disabilities and third-gender.
The apex court also authorised the government to adjust quota percentages if needed and directed the issuance of a formal gazette notification accordingly.
In an immediate reaction, the anti-discrimination student movement leaders welcomed the SC court verdict.
Sarjis Alam, a key coordinator of the quota reform movement, said that students accepted the verdict positively but the final authority was lying with the executive branch.