DHAKA: Bangladesh’s top court on Sunday scaled back a controversial quota system for government job applicants, in a partial victory for student protesters after days of nationwide unrest and deadly clashes that have killed over 100 persons.
Students, frustrated by lack of jobs, have been demanding an end to 30 per cent reservation in government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. The government previously halted it in 2018 following mass student protests, but in June, Bangladesh’s High Court reinstated the quota and set off a new round of protests.
Ruling on an appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the veterans’ quota be cut to 5 per cent, with 93 per cent of jobs to be allocated on merit. The remaining 2 per cent will be set aside for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled persons.
The protests have posed the most serious challenge to Bangladesh’s government since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January elections that were boycotted by the main opposition groups. Universities have been closed, the internet has been shut off and the government has ordered people to stay at home.
The protests turned deadly on Tuesday, a day after students at Dhaka University began clashing with the police. Violence continued to escalate as the police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter violent protesters. The Bangladeshi authorities haven’t shared any official numbers of those killed and injured, but Daily Prothom Alo newspaper on Saturday reported that at least 103 persons have died so far.
Sporadic clashes in some parts of Dhaka were reported on Saturday, but it was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities.
Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing, soldiers patrolled cities across the country. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the stay at home order will be relaxed from 3 pm and 5 pm on Sunday for people to run essential errands.
Meanwhile, the government has declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.
Protesters argue the quota system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, saying it should be replaced with a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.