Students and job seekers who were protesting against the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs lifted their blockade of Shahbagh intersection after five hours, announcing further protests and strikes.
The demonstrators, who occupied the major intersection in the capital at around 12:18 pm, dispersed at approximately 6:10 pm on Thursday. They announced a series of strikes across all colleges and universities on Sunday to continue pressing their demands.
The blockade caused significant traffic congestion in Dhaka as several hundred students gathered at the Shahbagh intersection near Dhaka University. The students had initially convened at the central library of Dhaka University around 11 am, from where they marched through the campus before blocking the intersection.
Protesting under the banner of the "Anti-Discrimination Student Movement," the demonstrators chanted slogans demanding the reinstatement of a 2018 government circular that reformed the quota system in government jobs. Despite heavy rain, the protest continued without interruption.
A large police presence was observed at Shahbagh intersection, prepared to manage the situation. At around 5:00 pm, tensions rose briefly when the police donned helmets, seemingly preparing to disperse the crowd, but the situation remained calm.
Before leaving, Nahid Islam, a student from Dhaka University and coordinator of the movement, outlined the upcoming protest plans. He announced that the group would conduct online and offline campaigns on Friday, organize protest marches at 3:00 pm on Saturday at all universities and colleges, and hold strikes and class boycotts on Sunday.
Nahid criticized the reinstatement of the quota system through judicial means, labeling it as a mockery of the students. He reminded that the executive branch had abolished the quota system in 2018 following widespread protests, only for it to be reinstated through the judiciary recently.
Until 2018, the quota system allocated 56% of government jobs to various groups, including a 30% quota for freedom fighters' descendants, 10% for women, 10% for people from underdeveloped districts, 5% for ethnic minorities, and 1% for the physically impaired. Massive protests had led to the abolition of this system for first and second class government jobs, with a circular issued by the public administration ministry on 4 October 2018 officially canceling it.
However, in 2021, descendants of freedom fighters filed a legal challenge against the abolition of their specific quota, resulting in the High Court ruling the abolition illegal on 5 June of this year. Since then, job seekers have been demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 circular that abolished the quota system.
"We urge the honorable court to consider our position," said Nahid Islam, spokesperson for the movement. "We also question the executive branch on how a circular they issued can be nullified within five years. This shows the circular was flawed, making a mockery of the students."
In addition to reinstating the 2018 circular, the protesters are calling for several other demands. These include the establishment of a commission to eliminate irrational and discriminatory quotas in all government job grades, ensuring the consideration of marginalized communities as per the constitution, prohibiting multiple uses of quota benefits, filling vacant quota positions based on merit, and creating a corruption-free, impartial, and merit-based bureaucracy.
Nahid stressed that the executive branch still has the power to cancel the quota system through a new notification, urging them to act swiftly to rectify what they believe is a significant injustice.
**Protesters at Shahbagh on July 4 carried placards and chanted slogans demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 circular reforming the quota system in government jobs** - *Prothom Alo*
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