Quota activists leave Shahbag, to boycott classes

Protesters, demanding a gazette abolishing quotas in the government jobs, left Shahbag after around six hours of demonstration, halting traffic at the busy intersection of the capital on Monday, report agencies.
Nurul Haque Nur, a leader of the protest organisers, announced the postponement of their demonstration at around 7.00 pm.
He said they stopped the protest after "receiving a message from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reassuring them of meeting their demand."
"She said in the message through a special medium that she would implement what she has said."
Nur, however, said they would continue boycott of classes and exams until the government publishes gazette on quota elimination.
"There won't be any programme on the streets," he added.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the decision regarding the prime minister's announcement of the quota system's abolition will be announced soon.
But the government is yet to form the promised committee that is to scrutinise and decide on the abolition or reform of the quota system.
"The cabinet did not discuss quota system," he said following a cabinet meeting on Monday.
"But the process has begun, and may be decided in a few days. As far as I have heard (about the committee), summary has already been sent from Ministry of Public Administration (to Prime Minister's Office). Inshallah we will receive a response soon."
He said he had received no notice of the committee's formation, but "it could happen soon".
FE Report adds, earlier students staged demo at Shahbag intersection and elsewhere in the country, demanding immediate issuing a gazette notification on quota system in government jobs in line with the prime minister's announcement in parliament.
The city's transport system came to a halt, causing immense sufferings to commuters, as several thousand of students took to streets and blocked Shahbag intersection since 1:00 pm.

[email protected]