Shawdesh desk:

Protesters against the existing quota system in government jobs at places in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Wednesday welcomed the day’s decision of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, staying the High Court verdict that reinitiated 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren.

They, however, said that they would not leave the streets until getting assurance from the government to fulfil their demand and ensure 5 per cent quota for merginalised people, physically challenged ones and freedom fighters’ children.

‘We have placed our demand to the government, not to the court. We want to see specific moves of the government for the logical reforms in the existing quota system in all government jobs,’ Nahid Islam, coordinator of the Anti-quota movement.

He said that if the government did not give any specific direction, they would not leave streets.

‘Our demand is to ensure five per cent quotas in government jobs. If we leave streets now, we have to come back to streets after one month. We want to resolve the problem at a time. The government can only give the final solution,’ Nahid added.

At Science Laboratory, Nazmul Hasan said that they wanted a permanent solution of the quota system.

‘We will not leave streets until our demand is met,’ he added.

The Appellate Division on Wednesday asked the government authorities not to implement the High Court verdict on freedom fighters’ quota in government jobs for four weeks.

The court also asked the agitating students to return to their classrooms and also asked them to appoint lawyers if wished to the quota case, now pending with the Appellate Division.

A five-judge bench, chaired by the chief justice, passed the order after hearing a government petition and two Dhaka university students, staying the High Court verdict for restoration of the 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren.

The HC on June 5 ordered the government to restore 30 per cent quota for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters while making recruitment in various cadre service.

On October 4, 2018, the government issued a circular abolishing all 56 per cent quotas—30 per cent for freedom fighters’ descendants, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for people from underdeveloped districts, 5 per cent for ethnic communities; and one per cent for physically challenged people—in the civil service following student protests.