Three quota protest coordinators — Dhaka University’s Asif Mahmud, Abu Baker Mazumder and Rifat Rashid — have been found after five days. Asif and Bakar both wrote on Facebook that they were blindfolded and left in Hatirjheel and Dhanmondi areas of the capital yesterday. Neither of them mentioned who took them. Rifat wrote on Facebook…
At Dhaka’s Gulistan Zero Point, students and citizens have gathered under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Demanding the establishment of democratic rights, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a public gathering at the same location as a counter-program to the Awami League’s demonstration march scheduled for Sunday, November 10. The gathering began on Saturday…
In a major reform to the quota system in public jobs, the government yesterday issued a circular, taking merit-based recruitment in civil service to 93 percent from the existing 44 percent. The rest seven percent will come from various quotas. The new quota system, which came in line with Sunday’s Supreme Court order, will come…
Protesters in Bangladesh have issued demands amid a lull in the violence that has filled the streets in recent days after the government backed down on quotas on hiring for government jobs. Student leaders said on Monday that they plan to continue demonstrations despite a decision by the Supreme Court the previous day scaling back the…
Nahid Islam, a key organiser of quota reform movement, alleged he was “tortured physically” until he was unconscious. In the early hours Saturday, he was picked up allegedly by law enforcers from a house in the capital’s Sabujbagh. Talking to The Daily Star, Nahid said, “After taking me into a room, they interrogated me over…
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…
Violent Protests Leave 29 Dead, Thousands Injured as Clashes Escalate Across Bangladesh. On July 18, 2024, a surge of violence broke out across Bangladesh as at least 29 people, including 11 students and a journalist, were killed and over 3,000 injured in fierce clashes between quota reform protesters and security forces, with ruling party activists…
The High Court (HC) has affirmed that the government holds the authority to modify, reduce, or increase the ratio or percentage of quotas in public sector jobs as needed. This authority includes the discretion to fill vacant positions from the general merit list if specific quota spots are unfulfilled. In its ruling, the HC invalidated…
Amid the apex court order for a status quo on the issue of quotas in government jobs, students yesterday vowed to continue their protests against the quota system. Around 12 noon, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court ordered the status quo for four weeks. This means the recent High Court verdict that reinstated the…
From Shahbagh to Farmgate, including Banglamotor, Dhaka’s major intersections were paralyzed for hours yesterday as students protested against the government job quota system, sweeping across the capital. Student-led blockades extended to key points like the Government Science Lab intersection, Chankharpool, areas around Dhaka University, and in front of various educational institutions. The impact of these…
