Bangladeshi court scales back jobs quota that triggered deadly unrest which killed scores

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs that have sparked student-led protests in which at least 114 people were killed.

The Supreme Court in its verdict ordered 93 per cent of the government jobs to be allocated on a merit-based system, leaving the remaining 7 per cent for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 and other categories.

Earlier, the system reserved 30 per cent of such jobs for the relatives of war veterans.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government scrapped the quota system in 2018, but the lower court reinstated it last month after relatives of 1971 veterans filed petitions.

The reinstatement sparked the protests and an ensuing government crackdown.

Ahead of the court’s hearing, soldiers patrolled cities and set up check points across the country while a nationwide curfew and an internet blackout remained in force.

Streets near the Supreme Court were quiet immediately after the decision, a Reuters witness said. 

A military tank was stationed outside the court’s gate, television footage showed.

Internet and message services have been suspended in Bangladesh since Thursday, cutting off the nation of nearly 170 million from the outside world.

Overseas telephone calls mostly failed to connect while websites of Bangladesh-based media organisations did not update and their social media accounts remained inactive.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the curfew would be relaxed from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday for people to run essential errands.

Reuters could not immediately determine what would happen to the curfew after the Supreme Court ruling.

Meanwhile, Ms Hasina’s government has declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.

During the week, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter stone-throwing protesters who filled the streets and university campuses.

Sporadic clashes in some parts of Dhaka, the capital, were reported on Saturday but it was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities.

Protests reflect lack of job opportunities

The chaos highlights cracks in Bangladesh’s economy and the frustration of young people who lack good jobs upon graduation.

Protesters argue the quota system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Ms Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, saying it should be replaced with a merit-based system.

Ms Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.

A woman in contact with Bangladesh student protesters, who asked to remain anonymous, told the ABC the quota system is widely used as a loophole for nepotism and discrimination against those without a party affiliation.

“The way these people operate is either you are on this team [or not] — if not, you don’t exist,” she says.

The protests represent the biggest challenge to Ms Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after January’s elections, which were boycotted by the main opposition groups.

Representatives from both sides met late on Friday in an attempt to reach a resolution and Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government was open to discussing their demands.

The demands included the reform of the current quota system, the reopening of student dormitories shut by the police following the clashes and for some university officials to step down after failing to protect campuses from the violence.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has backed the protests, vowing to organise its own demonstrations as many of its supporters have joined the student-led protests.

However, BNP said in a statement its followers were not responsible for the violence and denied the ruling party’s accusations of using the protests for political gains.

Loading…

Students face trial in UAE

Many opposition party leaders, activists and student protesters have been arrested in the current crackdown, exiled acting chairman of BNP Tarique Rahman said. 

Arrests include that of leading protest coordinator Nahid Islam on Saturday, according to the protesters.

Bangladeshi protesters who travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also face investigation and an expedited trial, according to state media.

State-owned Emirates News Agency WAM says the UAE’s attorney general’s office indicted several Bangladeshi nationals on charges including “gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest”.

Other charges include obstructing law enforcement, causing harm to others and damaging property.

“Based on the preliminary investigation results, the Public Prosecution has ordered their pre-trial detention pending further investigations,” WAM says.

Political parties and labour unions are banned in the UAE.

Broad laws severely restrict freedom of speech and almost all major local media are either state-owned or state-affiliated outlets.

Bangladesh Attorney-General Amin Uddin told Reuters students were not to blame for the week of chaos.

“Students have clearly said they are in no way part of the violence and arson that have taken place in Bangladesh since Monday,” he said.

“I will ask the government to find out the culprits behind the violence and take strict action against them.”

ABC/Wires