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Bangladesh top court scraps most quotas after deadly protests

Sunday, 21 July 2024 6:44 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 21 July 2024 7:13 PM ]

Bangladeshi military forces patrol the streets of Dhaka on July 20, 2024, a day before a Supreme Court ruling on job quotas. (AP)

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has scaled back a controversial job quota system after violent demonstrations and ensuring clashes killed 155 people across the country.

The court in a ruling on Sunday ordered that the quota for veterans’ descendants be cut to 5 percent, with 93 percent of jobs to be allocated on merit.

The remaining 2 percent will be set aside for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled people.

Student groups responsible for organizing the protests have welcomed the decision but decided to press on with demonstrations until their key demands are met.

They are demanding the release of those jailed and resignations of the officials responsible for the violence.

The verdict comes after massive student demonstrations that turned deadly on July 16.

Since then, universities have remained shut and Bangladesh has been cut off from the outside world due to a communications blockade.

Violence continued to escalate as police used tear gas, fired rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter stone-throwing protesters.

Campaigners have accused the police of using “unlawful force” against protesters.

The protests have posed the most serious challenge to Bangladesh's government since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January elections. However, Hasina has defended the quota system.

The government recently imposed a curfew, called in the army and gave shoot-at-sight orders to quell the violent protests.

Troops deployed to cities in Bangladesh to control unrest as toll rises

Soldiers have been deployed in Bangladeshi cities to quell civil disorder triggered by student protests, with riot police firing on demonstrators who disobeyed a government-imposed curfew.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the curfew, which was imposed before the top court ruling, would be eased for two hours for people to stock up on supplies before continuing for an “uncertain time.”

The harsh crackdown has fueled even more anger towards the government, pushing protesters to move beyond calling for quota reform to demanding the government’s resignation.

The government has declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.

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