The High Court has recently declared invalid the circular issued in 2018 canceling the quota in the first and second class government jobs. The highest court of the country gave such a decision after hearing a writ. Students have already reacted angrily to such a decision of the High Court. Ever since the verdict, they have held programs like protest marches, human chains, road blockades in various universities including Dhaka University. If the demands are not met, he has announced a tougher program.
Jago News has tried to find out what is the position of the student organizations on the reinstatement of quota in government jobs. Almost all student organizations including Nationalist Student Party, Samajtantrik Student Front, Student Union, Student Federation, Student Rights Council, Democratic Student Council, Student Shakti are against quota system in government jobs. However, no leader of the BCL agreed to comment on the quota restoration as a ‘court matter’.
This reporter of Jago News repeatedly tried to communicate with the Central President, General Secretary and President of DU branch to talk about this issue. However, it was not possible to get a statement from any of them. Chatra League central president Saddam Hussain did not respond to a message on WhatsApp asking for the position of the organization. However, DU branch general secretary Tanveer Hasan Saikat said, ‘Since it is a court matter, the court matter should be resolved legally. If the court takes a decision, as a citizen of the country, one should not comment on it. I think, if anyone has a statement against it, it should be seen legally.’
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Talked with Chhatra Dal Central General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir. He told Jago News, ‘We have given spontaneous support to the quota reform movement of students in 2018 as well. But at that time the government resorted to a dilemma. But no one wanted to cancel the quota in the movement of that time. The government repealed it only to later use the High Court to reinstate it. It (reintroduced quotas) in the same way that the government used the High Court to abolish the caretaker government. But the government has not yet taken an appeal or any other action against the verdict. The government wants to restore it by losing this case.’
Since it is a matter of court, the matter of court should be resolved legally. If the court takes a decision, as a citizen of the country, one should not comment on it. I think, if anyone has a statement against it, it should be seen legally.
Nasir said, ‘Everyone has witnessed what Muktijudda Manch, an organization supported and obeyed by the government, has done in the Dhaka University campus in the name of the spirit of Muktijudda. The government is restoring this quota in the face of their demands. This is because, if the quota system is reinstated, only BCL leaders will be able to enter more government jobs. As a result, we are expressing full solidarity with the logical movement of the students.
Bangladesh Students Federation Central President Moshiur Rahman Richard expressed solidarity with the protesting students demanding quota reform and said, ‘We have always been in favor of quota reform. We played an active role when the agitation took place in 2018. In the face of the students’ movement, the government withdrew from the spirit of the students’ movement and announced the abolition of the quota system. We said at the time that this is a strategy to bring back quotas in the future. This opportunity was created by the government through that decision.
He said, ‘We wanted quota reform, not cancellation. Quota is needed for those who are tribals or those with disabilities. But we have seen here, the opportunity is being kept in the form of a pet quota for those who are getting a chance in the liberation quota, it is completely unreasonable.
We wanted quota reform, not cancellation. Quota is needed for those who are tribals or those with disabilities. But we have seen here, the opportunity is being kept in the form of a pet quota for those who are getting a chance in the liberation quota, it is completely unreasonable.
Saidul Haque Nishan, Central President of Democratic Student Council, said, ‘When the students’ Durbar movement in 2018 could not be stopped even with intense repression, the government resorted to tactics. Ignoring the logical demand for quota reforms in government jobs, the government took a smart decision to abolish all types of quotas. As a result, backward communities, tribals or disabled people are deprived in the beginning. By abolishing quotas, the rationale of the quota reform movement is called into question. Movement is confused. That farcical decision by the Prime Minister in 2018 practically laid the groundwork for the reinstatement of today’s unfair quota system.’
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He said, ‘In 2018, students mainly demanded reform of 30 percent freedom fighter quota. Several important demands including 10 percent quota in jobs, uniform age limit came to the fore. But there was danger in bringing back this discriminatory system by announcing its abolition without reforming the quota.’
Freedom fighters are the best children of the country, they did not fight for any quota. The quota system is the biggest obstacle in building a merit-based state. If there is a quota in government jobs, there is an opportunity to appoint party loyal people, brothers and nephews through the quota loopholes.
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front Central President Salman Siddique said, ‘I strongly protest against the anti-people and discriminatory verdict of reimposing 30 percent freedom fighter quota in government jobs and demand its immediate cancellation. A certain amount of quota or share in employment may be reserved for the logical purpose of assisting the backward population of a country. We think that it is necessary to maintain it in our country as well. However, in a discriminatory society, a 30 percent quota will only exacerbate discrimination. We have no hesitation in giving full support to the freedom fighters who took part in the great liberation war of Bangladesh or their families. With full respect to them, we want to say that this 30 percent quota needs to be reformed.’
Bin Yamin Molla, Central President of Student Rights Council, said, ‘For which millions of martyrs gave their lives for the purpose of establishing a non-discriminatory Bangladesh, today the quota system is dimming that purpose. West Pakistan also kept more quota for them in government jobs like this. Freedom fighters are the best children of the country, they did not fight for any quota. There is no justification for keeping this quota after 53 years of independence. A gang is selling fake certificates, using them to get jobs and promotions in the name of liberation war. They are doing these dishonest things by opening organizations using the name of liberation war. They seem more eager to bring back the quota. The quota system is the biggest obstacle in building a merit-based state. If there is a quota in government jobs, there is an opportunity to hire party loyal people, brothers and nephews through the gaps in the quota.’
MHA/KSR/MS
