Demonstrators demanding reforms to quotas in public service have threatened of tougher movements from Sunday after setting Thursday as the deadline for an official order scrapping the system.
The announcement by the Council for the Preservation of Bangladesh General Students’ Rights, the platform which has been leading the protests, came on Wednesday.
In line with its announcement the previous day, the Council held human chain demonstration on the Dhaka University campus, before it turned in to a procession.
It ended with a rally at the Teachers and Students Centre (TSC), where the Council’s leadership announced to launch strict demonstrations, if the gazette notification is not published by Thursday.
“We had responded to the government’s call. We wanted the official order by May 7. If it’s not published by Thursday, then we will announce strict programmes across the country on Sunday,” said Nurul Huq Nuru, a joint convener of the Council.
Following the cabinet secretary’s remarks on Monday that there were no updates on the matter of quotas to civil service, the Council announced protest programmes the next day.
Amid protests by students and job-seekers demanding reforms to quotas, Prime Minister Sheik Hasina announced last month to rescind the entire quota system.
According to the existing system, the government keeps a quota of 30 percent for the families of freedom fighters, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for various districts and 5 percent for minorities and 1 percent for disabled people.