Don't abolish quota system
Jatiya Adibasi Parishad yesterday demanded retaining of five percent quota in civil service recruitment for members of the country's indigenous community.
Leaders of the body also called for retaining quota for other people who were historically left behind, such as physically and mentally-challenged persons.
They made the call at a press conference at the capital's Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the wake of recent recommendations made by a high-powered government committee for abolishing the quota system for class-I and class-II jobs in civil service.
The committee also opined that quota is no longer indispensable to small ethnic groups and physically-challenged people, Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam, who heads the committee, told reporters on September 17.
The development came in the wake of months-long quota reform demonstrations that saw arrests of the movement's leaders and attacks on students.
Those who opined quota is no longer essential for indigenous people know nothing about their struggle and educational discrimination they have been facing, said Prof Mesbah Kamal of history department at Dhaka University, while speaking at the press conference.
Such a decision will severely discourage indigenous community students who have been pursuing education overcoming various obstacles, said JAP President Rabindranath Soren.
“Abolishing of quota will create major challenge for the development of both present and future generations of indigenous people,” he said, while reading out a statement.
Terming the demands fair, lawmaker and President of the Parliamentary Caucus on Indigenous Affairs Fazle Hossain Badsha said there is no scope for scrapping quota for the indigenous community.
“Rather, focus should be on ensuring their security,” he added.
Responding to a query, the lawmaker said changes can be made in freedom fighters' quota but it should be done “carefully so that their honour is not harmed.”
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