Anti-quota demos held across the country

Students and job aspirants demanding reformation of the existing quota system yesterday staged demonstrations at different colleges and universities across the country and demanded the withdrawal of the case filed against at least 700 demonstrators on March 14.

At Dhaka University, more than 500 students, mostly from DU, from various educational institutions and job seekers brought out a procession from the DU Central Library around 10:30am.

During the demonstration they announced a five-point demand that includes lowering the quota to 10 percent from 56 percent, recruitment of jobseekers to vacant posts on the basis of merit if eligible candidates are not found under quota, stopping of special recruitment tests for quota candidates and ensuring of a unified age limit for all jobseekers.

The procession marched through roads in Nilkhet and Shahbagh areas and ended at Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus where they later held a rally.

Coordinator of the movement, Hasan Al Mamun, told The Daily Star that police foiled their programme on March 14 without any provocation.

He said the movement is a logical one and it is not against any person, any group or any organisation.

The quota system was introduced by an executive order in 1972 and was amended several times. Currently, 44 percent recruitment is done on merit and the remaining 56 percent on privilege allocated under various quotas.

Of the 56 percent under quotas, 30 percent are kept for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for people of districts lagging behind, 5 percent for people from indigenous communities, and one percent is reserved for the physically challenged.

Haider Ali Soikat, a job seeker, held the existing quota system responsible for the unemployment problem in the country.

“Over half of the posts were reserved under different quotas, resulting in a larger number of people having to compete for the rest of the posts...,” he said adding that due to such situation, their future is gripped by uncertainty.

Meanwhile at Rajshahi University, around 1,000 students brought out a procession on the campus around 10:00am, demanding withdrawal of the case filed against anti-quota demonstrators in Dhaka.

The procession started from the university's Central Library and ended at the RU Buddhijibi Chattar.

At Jahangirnagar University, over 100 students brought out a procession on the campus to press home the same demand.

According to the Facebook group of the platform of demonstrating students and government job seekers, demonstrations were staged at Jagannath University, Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh, Islamic University in Kushtia, Carmichael College in Rangpur and Govt Ananda Mohan College in Mymensingh.

On March 25, the demonstrators will bring out a procession, starting from Shahbagh and ending at the Central Shaheed Minar, with their educational certificates hung around their necks.  

On March 29, they will hold a citizens' gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar. 

On March 14, police foiled a sit-in programme of the anti-quota protestors by charging batons and firing teargas shells, leaving at least 15 of the demonstrators wounded.

Police detained 53 demonstrators and released them later. On the same night, police filed a case against 700 to 800 demonstrators, accusing them of attempting to kill members of the police and vandalising vehicles.

HUMAN CHAIN IN CTG, COMILLA

At least 500 students from different colleges and universities in Chittagong city formed a human chain in the city's Gate 2 area while Comilla University students formed another at Kathaltala of the university campus yesterday, report our Chittagong University and Comilla correspondents.