Quota protest: 'Unidentified' students sued for vandalising police vehicles
A case has been filed against "unidentified" students, accusing them of vandalising police vehicles during the ongoing protest demanding quota reform in government jobs.
The case was lodged yesterday (12 July) by Khalilur Rahman, a driver from the transport department of Rajarbagh Police Lines, at the Shahbagh police station.
Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ramna Zone) Aktarul Islam said the case was filed last night (12 July).
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"Without following the High Court's instructions if someone blocks roads, attacks vehicles, and throws brickbats in the name of agitation, we can assume that infiltrators are doing these things," Detective Branch (DB) Chief Harun Or Rashid told the reporters at the DB office in Dhaka's Mintu Road today.
"DB and police are investigating the incident," he added.
According to the case document, on 11 July, a group of students from Dhaka University (DU) gathered in front of the university's Central Library to protest against quota reform.
At around 4:40pm, they reached Shahbagh intersection and began to break through police barricades and attacked officials with bricks and stones. Later, they vandalised government property, including an armoured personnel carrier and a water cannon near the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
At around 6:00pm, a group of students from Jagannath University joined the protest and began to attack police officers again.
In this regard, a case has been filed against unidentified students under various sections of the Penal Code, including rioting, assault, criminal intimidation and obstructing public servants.
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.
