Shawdesh Desk:

Students from different colleges and universities blocked highways, including Dhaka-Aricha, Khulna-Kusthia and Barishal-Kuakata highways since Sunday morning, demanding cancellation of the High Court order to reinstate 30 per cent quotas for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren in government job.

Students of Jahangirnagar University blocked Dhaka-Aricha Highway in front of the main entrance of the campus for two hours from 11:00am till 1:00pm, which caused a long tail back in one of the busiest highways of the country.

Protestors said that they would create a dead-lock situation across the country, if their demand was not met.

In Dhaka, students of Dhaka College blocked Science Laboratory intersection at about 1:40pm boycotting classes and exams.

Dhaka College principal Mohammad Yusuf, however, claimed that they had been taking classes since morning.

‘There are no scheduled examinations today,’ he added.

Nazmul Hasan, Dhaka College mathematics department student and a representative of the protesting students, said that Dhaka College students began the blocked programme peacefully and would continue their demonstrations until their demands were met.

Students of Eden Women’s College boycotted classes and examinations in the morning, but classes and exams were being held on a limited scale, a teacher of the college told New Age seeking anonymity.

The Appellate Division on Thursday refused to stay the High Court verdict that had asked the government on June 5 to restore freedom fighters’ quota in the civil service, sparking fresh anti-quota protests by students.

The protesting students’ four-point demands include cancellation of the HC order that restored the quota system; upholding of the 2018 government circular; ensuring merit-based recruitment in the public service; and appointing qualified candidates from the merit list if eligible candidates are not found in quotas for marginalised communities.

On October 4, 2018, the government issued a circular abolishing all the 56 per cent quotas in the civil service in the wake of fierce street protests by the public university students and jobseekers demanding reforms to the quota system introduced in 1972.

Different groups for which quotas in the civil service have been created are — 30 per cent for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for people from underdeveloped districts, five per cent for ethnic communities and one per cent for physically challenged people.