Anti-quota protest: Students block roads from Science Lab to Farmgate
Meanwhile, the Appellate Division today imposed a status-quo on the High Court order reinstating quotas in government jobs
Students of Dhaka University, Dhaka College and nearby institutions blocked the capital's Science Lab, Shahbagh, Banglamotor and Farmgate areas this morning as part of a day-long Bangla Blockade programme to press home their one-point demand of a quota reform for government jobs.
Dhaka College students started marching from the campus grounds toward the Science Lab intersection around 10am.
Dhaka Universities students, who gathered around the central library premises at 10:30am, reached the Shahbagh intersection at around 11:30am. From there they started moving toward Farmgate via Banglamotor.
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The procession halted traffic movement around the area.
Meanwhile, traffic on other routes through Shahbagh has been halted due to the blockade.
Additional police force was seen deployed at the Bangla Motors signal area at around 11am.
Meanwhile, students of Bijoy Ekattor Hall and Jashim Uddin Hall of DU marched toward Matsya Bhaban around 12pm.
Regarding recent rumour of students blocking Metro Rail, Sarjis Alam, one of the convenors of the movement, told The Business Standard, "Metro Rail is not under the blockade. We're not even planning anything as such. So if someone talks about blocking the Metro Rail, please don't believe it."
Meanwhile, the Appellate Division today imposed a status quo the High Court order reinstating quotas in government jobs.
Following the order, Hasnat Abdullah, one of the leaders of the students' movement for quota reforms, said the Appellate Division's ordered a status quo on the High Court order was a strategy to stop the movement.
He said, "We are reviewing the verdict. Our demand is to the executive branch of the government. We want a commission to be formed. Quota should be brought to a rational level."
"The agitation will continue until a decision is taken from the executive division," he added.
Nahid Islam, another coordinator, said at a press conference on Tuesday (9 July), "Our movement is not in the context of the court. Therefore, the Bangla Blockade programme will continue from 10am to sunset on Wednesday."
He said students will gather at the DU Central Library from 10am. Later, the blockade will be enforced at all the intersections of the capital. including Shahbagh.
"Our blockade programme will include roads and railways. We call upon all the students, parents and the public to participate in the programme," Nahid said.
Law Minister Anisul Huq said yesterday (9 July) court is the appropriate place to resolve the ongoing crisis over the quota system in government jobs as street movements cannot give any solution to this.
"This is a matter of the court. There would be no solution to this through street movement. It could result in contempt of court. That is why, court is the appropriate place to resolve the crisis over quota," he said while talking to reporters at the ministry.
"If they [quota protesters] want to become a party in the case and raise their points in court, I hope and I think the Appellate Division would hear arguments of all the parties and do justice," he added.
Replying to a query on the government's stand on quota movement, Anisul Huq said the prime minister has clearly said the issue is now at the apex court and it would take its decision after hearing all the parties in this regard.
Since 2 July, university students have been holding sit-ins, organising marches and blocking roads and highways, demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 quota cancellation circular.
The 2018 rounds of quota reform protests were called off when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the abolition of the system in April of the same year.
Although protestors had sought reformation, the PM said, "If we go for reforms [of the quota system], another group will come up after a few days and say 'we want further reforms'. This issue will keep coming if the quota system remains. But if it ceases to exist, there will be no problem. So, there's no need for having a quota system."
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 verdict, students announced their non-stop movement.
The quota system was introduced through an executive order in 1972 and was amended several times.
Since 1972, several public service reform committees and the Public Service Commission, the body that oversees government recruitment, objected to the policy.
