Countrywide ‘Bangla Blockade’ from today

Staff Reporter :

The quota reform protesters have announced a countrywide ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme from today (July 7).
Nahid Islam, coordinator of the ‘Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’, announced the programme during a demonstration at the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.

For the fourth consecutive day, students blocked the Shahbagh intersection from 3:00pm and after the announcement, students left the intersection at around 5:30pm.

Students and job seekers joined the programme from other locations, including the Science Lab intersection, Chankharpool, Nilkhet, Motijheel and different strategic intersections.

According to the announcement, besides the Shahbagh intersection, students will block the roads in front of all educational institutions of Bangladesh from 3:00pm.

Their four-point demands include restoration of the circular that abolished the quota system in public jobs in 2018 and abolishing quota in jobs of all grades.

Earlier in 2018, the government abolished the existing quota system, saying that direct recruitment in 9th grade (old first class) and from 10th to 13th grade (old second class) will be based on merit.

Seven people filed a writ with the High Court, challenging the move. The court later issued a rule ordering the authorities concerned to explain why the circular shall not be declared illegal.