3 quota reform leaders remanded
A Dhaka court today placed three leaders of quota reform movement on a two-day remand each in two cases filed in connection with the attacks at Dhaka University vice chancellor's residence and police and vandalising vehicles on April 9.
Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud passed the order after Bahauddin Faruki, inspector of Detective Branch of police and also the investigation officer of the cases, produced the trio before the court with a seven-day remand prayer for each.
The three arrestees -- Jashim Uddin Akash, Moshiur Rahman and Faruk Hasan -- are joint conveners of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, a platform that spearheaded the quota demos.
Jashim and Mashiur are shown arrested in a case filed for the attack at DU VC's residence and Faruk, in another case filed for attacking cops and vandalizing vehicles in different areas in Dhaka.
Faruk was sent to jail on July 3 after police showed him arrested in a case filed on April 11.
Meanwhile, Tarikul Islam, another arrestee, was not produced before the court today. His remand prayer will be held on July 17 in his presence
Tariqul and Jasim, who were held on July 2, were sent to jail on the next day after detectives produced them before a court in connection with the case.
Also on July 2, another leader Muhammad Rashed Khan was granted a five-day remand a day after police arrested him in Bhasantek area.
On July 2, a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) members beat up Tarikul on the premises of Dhaka University Central Library and handed him over to police.
He was later shown arrested in the case filed over vandalising the VC's residence.
Barrister Sarah Hossain and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua submitted two separate petitions seeking bail along with cancelation of the remand prayers on behalf of the trio saying that their clients were mercilessly beaten and there was no ground to place them on remand.
One of the arrestees, Jashim, was very sick and he was produced before the court and taken away with help of two persons.
In February, students of different public universities and jobseekers under the banner of "Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad" launched a movement demanding quota reforms in the civil service.
On April 11, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament spoke of abolishing all types of quotas in public jobs.
As no gazette notification was issued in this regard, the protesters started preparing for fresh programmes. But they were attacked on the DU and RU campuses.
On July 2, the government formed a seven-member committee “to review or reform or cancel” the quota system for the civil service.