Bangladesh Court Limits Job Quota Amid Violent Protests

Bangladesh Court Limits Job Quota Amid Violent Protests

Ashiq Butt | July 21, 2024 | 08:59 PM IST | Bangladesh, Jobs/Exams/Selection List/Entrance Exams, World | Follow on Google News

Bangladesh Court Limits Job Quota Amid Violent Protests

Bangladesh Court Limits Job Quota Amid Violent Protests

Key Highlights:

1. Bangladesh Supreme Court narrows government job quotas after violent protests.
2. Nationwide curfew and internet blackout imposed to control unrest.
3. Protests continue despite court ruling, with demands for further reforms.

In response to a week of violent protests led by students in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has significantly revised the controversial government job quota system.

The ruling reduces the quota for government jobs from 30% to 7%, with 5% reserved for the families of 1971 War of Independence veterans and 2% for disadvantaged groups, including ethnic minorities.

This decision follows clashes that have resulted in at least 151 deaths since July 13, according to reports from police and hospitals.

The protests erupted after the court reinstated the quota policy last month, a move perceived as benefiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s supporters and unfairly excluding new job seekers. This unrest echoes similar student protests from 2018, which previously led Hasina to suspend the quota.

To quell the violence, the government imposed a nationwide curfew starting Friday night, deployed the army, and issued “shoot-on-sight” orders.

Internet services were cut off on Thursday, and public holidays were declared to close government and private offices. The unrest represents the biggest challenge to Hasina’s administration since her re-election earlier this year.

Student leaders have vowed to continue their protests until the government enacts an order reflecting their demands, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Prime Minister Hasina canceled a diplomatic tour to Spain and Brazil to address the crisis, while the BNP, which supports the protests, plans further demonstrations and denies involvement in the violence.

Ashiq Butt

Ashiq Butt – is VoM News's senior staffer worked since year 2015 and he deals with correspondency and social media handles. Hailing from Doda's Marmat, Ashiq has strong grip over the collection of the data and it's compiling feature.