The High Court has ruled to reinstate the freedom fighter quota system in first and second class government jobs in Bangladesh.
The High Court ruled that the notification issued in 2018 canceling the quota system in two categories of government recruitment was invalid.
In the hearing, the lawyer of the state, Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Saifuzzaman, confirmed this information to BBC Bangla.
Till 2018, 56 percent quota was prevalent in government jobs in Bangladesh. However, that year, there was a massive anti-quota movement in various educational institutions including Dhaka University.
In view of this, the government completely canceled the quota facility in the case of jobs from ninth to thirteenth grade.
Earlier, 30 percent of the quota in these posts was reserved for the children of freedom fighters and their grandchildren.
Apart from this, there would be 10 per cent seats for women, 10 per cent for the residents of backward districts, 5 per cent for minorities and 1 per cent for the disabled.
But, as a result of this verdict, it is not yet clear whether only the freedom fighters will return or all the rest will be upheld.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
They protested for the restoration of 30 percent quota for freedom fighters and their children
Quota will return as before?
According to the state news agency BASS, in 2021, some children of freedom fighters filed a petition in the High Court challenging the part of the abolition of the freedom fighter quota.
After hearing that writ, a ruling was issued seeking to know that the decision to cancel the 30 percent quota will not be declared invalid.
Last Wednesday, the High Court ruled that the rule was correct.
Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Saifuzzaman told BBC Bangla that the court said in its speech that the quota will be maintained as before.
“Nothing can be said until we get the judgment of the court. In a word, the quota will return as before,” said Mr. Saifuzzaman.
However, there was no mention of the remaining quotas in the ‘proceeding’, he said.
Said, “Here only the quota of freedom fighters has been mentioned.”
A senior lawyer and law teacher of Bangladesh. Shahdeen Malik told BBC Bangla, “If the entire circular is taken into consideration, then everything should be upheld.”
“The court can give a judgment (absolute in part) even taking into account part of a rule,” added Mr. the owner
Is it possible to bring back the quota system?
In 2018, when the circular was issued canceling the quota system, the cabinet department informed that the government can reinstate the quota system if it wants.
However, the then Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said that the same process should be followed.
That is, the committee of secretaries should be given the task of re-examination, their recommendations should be raised and approved by the cabinet committee.
After that the quota system should be enforced by issuing a notification again. That is, the whole will depend on the will of the government. However, the government can reconfigure this committee if it wants.
After Wednesday’s verdict, former Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar told BBC Bangla that it would be better to proceed legally now. He indicated about legal action like appeal.
IMAGE SOURCE,REHMAN ASAD
The students were protesting to demand reform of the quota system
Reform of freedom fighter quota was the main demand
Although there was already dissatisfaction among the students about the quota, the quota reform movement started gaining momentum in February 2018, which intensified in April.
At that time, the agitation spread in most of the higher educational institutions of the country including Dhaka University and at one point, the BCL and the police started clashing regularly with the agitators.
The residence of the Vice-Chancellor was also vandalized during the clashes between the protesters and the police in the Dhaka University campus.
After that incident, a massive police operation was conducted against the agitators.
A 171-member committee called ‘Bangladesh General Student Rights Protection Parishad’ was formed with students from all over the country to demand reform of the quota system.
In the face of the movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the complete abolition of the quota system in government jobs on April 11 of that year.
However, the agitators demanded to reduce or reform the quota rate.
Freedom fighter quota reform was one of the five issues on which the movement demanded quota reform under the banner of ‘Bangladesh General Student Rights Protection Council’.
The agitators wanted the 30 percent quota for freedom fighters to be reduced to 10 out of the 56 percent quota.
After the cancellation, several organizations of freedom fighters and their relatives joined the movement demanding the quota to be maintained. They announced that they will continue the movement until the freedom fighter quota is restored.
After six years, the court ruling again opened the way for 30 percent freedom fighter quota.