QUOTA REFORM MOVEMENT
Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council brings out a procession on Dhaka University campus on Wednesday in protest against the issuance of 40th BCS recruitment circular without reforming quota system. — Sony Ramany
Students and jobseekers staged protests at the Dhaka University on Wednesday for immediate publication of a gazette notification reforming quota system in government jobs as the government on Tuesday issued circular for the 40th Bangladesh Civil Service recruitment with existing quota system.
Hundreds of students bought out a procession from science library that paraded all important streets on the campus, including Arts Faculty, Business Faculty, Central Library, Madhu’s Canteen and Raju Sculpture.
Bangladesh General Students Rights Protection Council central leaders Rashed Khan, Faruk Hasan among others joined the first procession after their release on bail.
Addressing the rally, council joint convener leader Nurul Haq Nur said that five months had elapsed since prime minister Sheikh Hasina announced the abolition of quota system in parliament but the government was yet to take any visible step causing frustration among students.
He said that they never wanted the abolition of quota system in government jobs, but demanded its reform.
Nurul urged the government to publish the gazette notification as soon as possible, withdraw ‘false’ cases against the students and ensure exemplary punishment for attackers on protesters.
Bangladesh Public Service Commission published the circular for the 40th BCS on Tuesday keeping previous quota system.
A secretary-level committee for a review of the quota system in public service recruitment was yet to finalise its report although the protesters’ deadline for publication of gazette notification reforming the quota expired on August 31.
Earlier on August 12, the protesters threatened to launch a tougher movement paralysing the country from September if their detained fellows were not released and a gazette notification reforming the quota system was not published by August 31.
Students and jobseekers took to the streets on February 17 and continued protests for reducing the quota in government jobs to 10 per cent from the existing 56 per cent, including 30 per cent for freedom fighters’ children and their grandchildren, 10 per cent for women and 10 per cent for districts, 5 per cent for ethnic minorities and 1 per cent for physically challenged people.
The government on July 2 formed the seven-member committee to reform or abolish the quota system.
The committee that includes secretaries from the Prime Minister’s Office, public administration ministry, finance division, legislative division, Liberation War affairs ministry and Public Service Commission was initially given 15 working days to submit the report. The timeframe was later extended to 90 working days.
Amid countrywide protests for reform of the quota system, prime minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 told parliament that there would be no quota in government jobs.
- Courtesy: New Age/ Sep 13, 2018
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