Anti-quota students have called for a morning-evening blockade program in Bangladesh on Wednesday to demand the abolition of quota system in government jobs. This program was announced from a press conference organized in front of Dhaka University Central Library on Tuesday afternoon under the banner of anti-discrimination student movement.
Students from all over the country have been invited from the press conference to carry out this program called ‘Bangla Blockade’.
The agitators also announced that they will hold the ‘Bangla Blockade’ program by blocking important points of roads and highways across the country including Dhaka from 10 am on Wednesday.
Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination movement, said in this press conference, “Students did not join this movement on their own initiative. The agitators are forced to give such programs due to the silence of the government on this issue”.
Due to the rally of the anti-quota activists, massive traffic jams were created in various areas of the country including Dhaka on Saturday and Monday.
In this regard Mr. Islam said, “We don’t want to make the common people suffer. The government has to take responsibility for this suffering. Our movement is because we have not received any assurance from the government.
For the first time around the anti-quota movement, the agitators have planned a nationwide blockade.
During the anti-quota movement in 2018, various roads were blocked, but it was mostly in the vicinity of educational institutions. At that time no such program was given nationwide.
Road-highway-railway blockade
The students have been protesting since July 2 against the court ruling suspending the government’s circular to cancel the quota. Since July 7, they have been carrying out the “Bangla Blockade” program of various road blockades. On Tuesday, they stopped the “Bangla Blockade” and held a “mass communication” program.
Announcing the program, Nahid Islam said that the program will continue across the country from 10 am to sunset on Wednesday. Roads and railways will be covered by the Bangla blockade.
In the press conference, the agitating students said that their movement is not for the abolition of quotas but for rational reforms in harmony with reality.
Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah said, the movement we are carrying out is not against the liberation war. I did not raise the question about the reward of freedom fighters in Bangladesh.
He claimed, “This movement of students has turned into a mass movement. Farmers, workers, expatriate remittance fighters have all expressed support. We have taken a decision in coordination with policy makers, experts, lawyers, media.”
On Tuesday, two students appealed to the High Court. It was informed from this press conference that those who appealed are not from this anti-discrimination movement.
Coordinator Mr. Islam said, “Our main demand is mainly to the executive department. We have also coordinated with the students. Our field level survey and unanimously decided to keep 5% quota. Children of Freedom Fighters, Minorities and Handicapped will have quota”.
Coordinator Sarjeel Alam said, “If the executive department issues a written document or circular, if it is confirmed that the commission will be formed and logical reforms will be done in all grades soon, then we will leave the streets with joy and return to the table.”
Blockade of Dhaka Aricha highway
Jahangirnagar University students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway on Tuesday as part of the ongoing anti-quota movement. Traffic on this important road was stopped.
Earlier, the students took out a protest march in front of the central library of the university. The procession passed through various roads of the university and ended in front of the main gate.
The students said that when the freedom fighter quota was introduced, it was an interim decision. Even after all these years, there is no justification for maintaining the 30 percent quota for the third generation of freedom fighters.
In 2018, there were large protests in various educational institutions of the country, including Dhaka University, demanding quota reform. The then agitating students demanded to reform the quota system and bring it down from 56 percent to 10 percent.
But then the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular canceling the quota in government jobs (first and second class).
In 2021, some of the children of freedom fighters filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the abolition of the freedom fighter quota part of the circular. In the judgment of that writ, the court declared that part of the circular invalid on June 5 this year.
Later, the state party applied to the Appellate Division Chamber Court seeking suspension of the verdict. But after the preliminary hearing on June 9, the application was sent to the regular bench of the Appellate Division.
In this situation, the students have been protesting since July 1 to demand the cancellation of the quota system.