Bangladesh Army patrol the streets in the effort of maintaining the protesters.
Following protracted protests by college students, Bangladesh’s highest court eliminated the majority of the government employment quotas that had triggered violent conflicts that resulted in over 100 fatalities nationwide. A third of positions in the public sector were set aside for soldiers’ families from the nation’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. However, the court decided that just 5% of the positions may be set aside for the relatives of veterans following strong opposition. There is still a curfew in effect across the country since there are reports of ongoing fighting in certain locations.
According to the nation’s Attorney General, A.M. Amin, the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division dismissed a lower court judgment and ordered that 93% of government posts be available to candidates based alone on merit. In 2018, the administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina abolished the quota system, which had set aside 56% of jobs for women, people from disadvantaged areas, and the relatives of independence fighters.
Most parts of the country are now calm after the ruling but student leaders vow to press on with protests until their bare minimums are met, including resignation of officials responsible for the violent handling of protesters as well as the release of student leaders that were jailed. Some of the individuals arrested have been reported missing and the demonstrators say they will not back down until their colleagues are found and freed.
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