Leaders of the quota reform protests have come up with two varying sets of demands.
Three key coordinators of the Baishamyabirodhi Chhatra Andolan placed eight-point demand at a meeting with three ministers at State Guesthouse Padma on Friday night.
Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam and Hasib Al Islam participated in the meeting with Law Minister Anisul Huq, Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Arafat.
They demanded that those in the government, who instigated Chhatra League and instructed the law enforcement agencies to attack the protesters, be brought to book after an investigation.
They also called for financial assistance and monthly allowance to the families of those killed and injured during the protests.
The demands also include resignation of the vice-chancellors and proctors for whose “silent role” the students came under attack.
They said the seats at the university halls should be allocated through the university authorities concerned, and the students’ unions must be made effective.
The three coordinators demanded immediate withdrawal of the law enforcers from all universities and reopening of halls.
The government must ensure that those who are involved in the movement will face no political or legal harassment or any punitive measures from the university administration, they added.
All the cases filed over the quota reform protests have to be withdrawn immediately, the protest organisers said.
However, another group of protest coordinators in text messages to different media outlets last evening said the Friday’s meeting with ministers was a personal decision of a few individuals.
They said their movement will continue until the next announcement is made and the “nine-point demand” is met.
Abdul Kader, a coordinator of the quota protests, placed the nine-point demand in a statement at 9:30pm on Friday.
The demands include an apology from the prime minister for her remarks and resignation of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan resign from cabinet.
These demands were left out of the eight-point demand.
Yesterday’s text message from Umama Fatima, a key leader of the ongoing movement, contained names of 24 coordinators and 42 assistant coordinators.
It said the coordination committee will let people know about their decision and demands after discussion among themselves once the internet services are restored.
“The government has completely stopped the broadband and mobile internet services ….. That’s why it was not possible for us to contact all the coordinators across the country.
“Taking advantage of this, the government itself and a quarter have been spreading rumours,” the text message read.
It said the main target and victim of the “digital crackdown” is their platform.
The Daily Star yesterday tried to contact at least 10 coordinators of the protests but was able to reach four, who confirmed the authenticity of the text message.
About the eight-point demand of the three key protest organisers, the message said, “Their decision is devoid of the spirit of the protests.”
Meanwhile, the law minister and the education minister yesterday told this newspaper that a logical solution to the students’ demands is possible.
“The students have placed their [eight] demands before us. We have discussed those. We think it is possible to find a reasonable solution to what they said on the percentages of job quotas,” Anisul told The Daily Star yesterday.
Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury said, “Since a hearing on the matter will be held at the Supreme Court tomorrow [today], a solution will come. We and the students are on the same page regarding these demands.”
Source: The Daily Star
