'Cooperate with law enforcement, maintain good relations with journos': Anti-quota movement coordinator sets guidelines

Coordinators of the student movement against the quota system in government jobs should cooperate with the law enforcement and maintain good relations with journalists, according to Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators.

Nahid, a student of Dhaka University, posted some guidelines for all coordinators involved in the movement on a Facebook page under his name today (13 July).

"Beware that no party can infiltrate and sabotage…Cooperate with the law enforcement officials. But you will make all the decisions. No compromise can be made," reads his post.

"Maintain good relations with the journalists. Speak intelligently in front of the media, so that it is consistent with the main message. Do not give speeches or slogans that are irrelevant.

Try to schedule programmes in coordination with Dhaka," he added.

He also asked for a separate coordination committee to organise those coordinating the movement in universities, colleges, and districts.

He wrote, "Keep the opportunity open for everyone's participation. Create a leadership that is acceptable to everyone and make decisions through discussion.

"However, do not keep anyone in leadership positions who could be controversial or questionable regarding their interest in the movement…Do not make the movement dependent on the main leadership. Always have an alternative leader ready. Try to bring new faces as coordinators."

"Try to gather in large numbers together. If anyone is attacked or threatened, resist together."

Involve social and cultural organisations of universities and colleges. Organise cultural events in the programme. Before the programme, do extensive public relations through miking and leaflets, his post reads.

"Do crowdfunding directly for funds. Do not use any online medium. Keep a record of funds and inform the coordination team. Do not take money from any institution. Do not take any financial assistance from anyone who has political interests," said Nahid in his Facebook post.

However, no such instructions were posted or shared by the other coordinators Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam.

Meanwhile, coordinators have announced that students of various government universities in the country will continue their protest against quotas in government jobs tomorrow.

"They will also present their demands in a letter to the president through the district commissioner," Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the student movement, said at a press conference in front of the DU central library today.

University students across the country began protesting against the quota system for government jobs earlier this month after the High Court on 30 June ordered to restore quota for descendants of freedom fighters, a system that was abolished in 2018.

The High Court on 5 June ordered the government to retain the 30% freedom fighter quota in government jobs. 

It also declared illegal the circular issued on 4 October 2018 cancelling the quota system.

Soon after the court order, students announced their indefinite movement.

The quota system, originally introduced through an executive order in 1972, has been amended multiple times over the years.