Anti-quota protest: Student leaders submit memorandum at Bangabhaban
The march has been organised by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Twelve coordinators of the anti-quota movement have entered Bangabhaban and submitted a memorandum to the military secretary to the president (MSP).
They entered Bangabhaban under police escort from a public march at 2:40pm and left at 3pm today (14 July).
At this time, the procession held a standing program at the turn near Mawlana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium.
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Several protesting students told The Business Standard that the main coordinators of the movement, Asif Mahmud, Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Arif Sohel, Nidra, Sumaiya, Ashik, Kader, Mahin, Hasib, Hannan Masud, and Sifat entered the Bangabhaban premises.
Earlier, thousands of students from various educational institutions in Dhaka started their march towards Bangabhaban from the Dhaka University central library demanding reinstatement of quota.
The march has been organised by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
The pre-announced event commenced at 12pm, heading towards the presidential residence, Bangabhaban.
"Our mass procession is heading towards Bangabhaban via the Central Library, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, TSC, Shahbagh intersection, Matsya Bhaban, Kadam Fountain, the Secretariat, and will proceed to Zero Point in Gulistan," said Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad, co-coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
"If the law enforcement agencies restrict us at any point today, our delegation will submit a memorandum to the president," Musaddiq Ali added.
The students broke police barricades at the Secretariat and continued the march towards Zero Point.
As the procession progressed, students took positions in front of various gates of the Secretariat, simultaneously blocking Gulistan Zero Point.
Meanwhile, over a hundred police officers, along with barricades, have been deployed in front of Baitul Mukarram mosque.
At around 1:45pm, the protesting students broke through the police barricades in Baitul Mukarram and proceeded towards Bangabhaban.
Before the procession, students from different institutions began gathering in front of the Dhaka University central library since 11am.
The participants included students from Jagannath University, Dhaka College, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, and the seven affiliated colleges of Dhaka University.
University students across the country began protesting against the quota system for government jobs earlier month after the HC on 30 June ordered to restore quota for descendants of freedom fighters which was abolished in 2018. Anti-quota protesters yesterday (13 July) planned to submit a memorandum outlining their demands to the President, despite the government taking a hardline stance against the movement, including a lawsuit already filed against "unidentified students" for damaging police vehicles.
Besides, statements from several ministers and police officers indicate that they are taking a tougher stance against the students who have been agitating for quota reform in the government job recruitment process.
Rajshahi University students submit memorandum to DC demanding quota reform
Addressing the president, the protesting students of Rajshahi University submitted a memorandum to the Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner today (14 July), addressing the President.
A delegation of 18 students submitted the memorandum to DC Shameem Ahmed around 2:00pm.
Upon the student representatives' request, the deputy commissioner emerged from the conference room to assure the gathered protesters that a memorandum copy would be forwarded to the president.
Subsequently, the students departed for campus.
Earlier in the day, the protesting students started a procession at 11am demanding the implementation of quota reform from the central library of the university.
They walked 8 kilometres to reach the deputy commissioner's office to hand over the memorandum.
'Quota system robs country of merit': JU teachers express solidarity with anti-quota protest
The quota system is depleting the country of merit, said Golam Rabbani, a professor at Jahangirnagar University (JU) today.
"When meritorious individuals are not given opportunities, their talents go unrecognised and unutilised, ultimately destroying merit," explained the professor of History during the JU student protest.
JU students staged a protest march and solidarity rally condemning the attacks and lawsuits filed against students at universities in Rajshahi, Chattogram, Cumilla and Dhaka last Thursday (11 July).
They called for the perpetrators involved in the attacks to be identified and brought to justice.
The students started their protest march in front of the university library at 11:40am.
It ended at the university's main gate, adjacent to the Dhaka-Aricha highway, with a brief rally.
Chittagong University students submit memorandum to district commissioner, block roads
As part of the ongoing movement demanding quota reform in government jobs, students from Chittagong University submitted a memorandum to the Chittagong District Commissioner today (14 July), addressing the President.
Around 1pm, additional district commissioner Abdul Malek received the memorandum on behalf of the district commissioner from the leaders of the Chittagong University Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
"We have submitted a memorandum to the District Commissioner addressed to the President," said Mohammad Arefin, a coordinator of the movement and a student of Chittagong University.
Earlier that day, at 11am, the protesting students started their mass procession from the Sholoshohor station area.
Upon arriving at the district commissioner's office around 12:30pm, not all students were allowed to enter the premises. Only the leaders of the movement were permitted to enter and submit the memorandum.
Meanwhile, a large group of students sat down in front of the road leading to the court building, blocking traffic and causing public inconvenience while singing various songs.
To avoid any untoward incidents, law enforcement officers took positions on one side of the road.
Despite the representatives exiting the district commissioner's office at 1:30pm, the students continued to occupy the road.
The students are demanding an emergency session of Parliament to pass a law addressing quota disparities and the withdrawal of police cases against students in Dhaka within 24 hours.
Cumilla quota reform protestors march towards DC office
The quota reform activists in Cumilla organised a mass procession and memorandum submission programme this morning from the city's Pubali Square.
Earlier, after the Cumilla Metropolitan Chhatra League declared a peace rally at the same location at 10am, the quota reform protestors shifted their programme location to the Police Lines area.
The protestors, including students from Comilla University, Cumilla Victoria Government College, Cumilla Government College, and other institutions, began their march from the Police Lines area around 11 am.
"Our program was initially planned for Pubali Square. However, due to the presence of the Chhatra League there, we changed our location. We have been at the Police Lines area and will now proceed to submit the memorandum at the Deputy Commissioner's office," said Sakib Hossain, the Comilla University coordinator for the quota reform movement.
Carrying the national flag, various placards, and banners of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the students chanted slogans as they headed toward the Deputy Commissioner's office to submit a memorandum.
Around 12:30pm, the quota reform activists took position at the gate of the deputy commissioner's office.
