Quota reform protesters have warned of launching street demonstrations once again if the gazette on abolishing reserved posts in civil services in not published by April.
The Council for the Preservation of Bangladesh General Students’ Rights — the platform which has been leading the protests, said in a news conference on Thursday that the government has till the end of the month to issue the official order.
“We will go for street protests the next month if the gazette in line with the prime minister’s announcement is not published by this month,” said its Joint Convener Nurul Haque Nuru.
The Council also protested a news report ran by Bangla national ‘Dainik Janakantha’, which claimed the demonstrations were aimed at toppling the government.
“The report, which appeared on its online version on Apr 20 and the print edition next day, has to be withdrawn by 5pm today. Otherwise, legal actions will be initiated against Dainik Janakantha,” the protest leader said.
It was announced in the media call that the Council will hold a discussion on Apr 30 at the Dhaka University campus with teachers and students from institutions across the country.
Claiming police cases accusing unidentified people were aimed at harassing protesters, Nuru said the cases should be based on specific charges and identified individuals. “We do not want any one to be harassed in these cases.”
Students and job-seekers have been demonstrating for quite some time for reforms to quotas in civil services.
According to the existing system, 56 percent posts are reserved for different quotas, including 30 percent for children of freedom fighters, 10 percent each for women and particular districts, 5 percent for small ethnic groups, and 1 percent for people with disabilities.
On Apr 8, protesters blocked the key road of Shahbagh in Dhaka and started demonstrating. Hours later, police intervened when clashes broke out.
Amid overnight sporadic clashes on the Dhaka University campus, a group of unidentified people barged into the vice-chancellor’s residence and vandalised furniture, home appliances as well as set fire to vehicles on the premises.
The vice-chancellor and his family, however, were unharmed in the attack.
The protests spread across education institutions in the country the next day and continued until Apr 11, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced of abolishing quotas.
“There will be no quotas, since all the fuss about it,” she told the parliament.
The announcement came amid demonstrations grinded capital Dhaka to a halt with protesters across the country blocking highways and rail tracks bringing the country down to its knees.
The protesters, however, demanded reforms, which included 10 percent posts reserved for different quotas.
“Call for reforms will come if quotas exist. If we reform it now, some other group will once again want it to be revised. So, there’s no need for quotas,” Hasina said. “Let me make it clear, the quota system is abolished.”

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