Dhaka, Apr 10 (Just News): Protests for reduction of quota to 10 per cent from the existing 56 per cent in government jobs continued and spread from public universities to private universities Tuesday, the third consecutive day of the protests.
The protesters announced boycott of classes and examinations at all universities and colleges and blockade of highways from 10:00am to 7:00pm daily for an indefinite period from today.
A group of the protesters, who announced postponement of the protests for a month on Monday, resumed the protests and joint the continuing protesters Tuesday evening demanding withdrawal of agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury’s derogatory comments made on Monday terming them ‘sons of razakar’ and finance minister AMA Muhith’s remarks made on Tuesday that reform of existing quota system was not possible before the next budget.
Since morning protesters and students held demonstrations at Dhaka University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University and other campuses for five-point demands.
Students of private universities, including North South University, East West University, Daffodil University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, State University of Bangladesh, blocked Mirpur Road, Sat Masjid Road and Pragati Sarani and demonstrated extending their support to the five-point demands as well as protesting police attack on students at the Dhaka University.
The protesters demanded that Matia Chowdhury mus apologise for her comments made in the parliament on Monday reportedly terming
them ‘children of Razakars.’
Over the quota system, she said the government did not want to create any Dhaka-based elite class to pave ways for getting jobs.
Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, the platform of the protesting students, started the latest round of movement on Sunday and central leaders on Monday evening coming out from a meeting with road transport and bridges minister Obaidaul Quader suspended their protests.
Parishad convener Hasan Al Mamun, also vice-president of Dhaka University’s Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall unit Chhatra League, announced the decision as Quader promised that the government would review the quota system in government job.
Many protesters, however, rejected the decision and continued the protests.
The protesters are on the streets since February for the five-point demands, including recruitment of jobseekers in vacant posts on the basis of merit if eligible candidates were not found under the quota, an end to special recruitment tests for quota candidates and a single age limit for all jobseekers.
They are on the street as 56 per cent quotas are reserved in government jobs – 30 per cent for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for districts lagging behind, 5 per cent for ethnic minorities and 1 per cent for physically challenged people.
At about 6:30pm, all the groups of the protesters brought out processions on Dhaka University campus and some of them hold sit-in in front of Raju Sculpture near Teachers and Students Centre.
The protestors set fire to an effigy of Matia at about 8:00pm and called off their protests for the day at 8:30pm.
Platform joint-convenor Rashed Khan said that they would resume the protests at 10:00am today at Raju Sculpture.
As he was addressing hundreds of university students, a drone was seen flying over the gathering presumably filming for nearly five minutes, causing annoyance among the students.
‘Bhuya, [false] Bhuya [false],’ slogan was heard from the rally. The police asked its personnel not to go inside the campus as a police official was reportedly beaten at TSC.
At 6:30pm, Rashed said that they had suspended the protests on Monday but they resumed protests as Matia Chowdhury branded them as ‘children of Razakar’ and paid no heed to their ultimatum to apologise by 5:00pm, given Tuesday morning at a press conference.
He also urged all students to boycott classes and examinations at all universities and colleges and block highways from 10:00am to 7:00pm daily for an indefinite period from today.
Muhith made remarks that reform of existing quota system was not possible before the next budget. Government has not released all arrested protestors and has taken no responsibilities of treatment of the injured protesters, Rashed Khan said.
Other groups of protesters started sit-in at in front of Raju Sculpture at 11:00am and continued the protests.
In the morning one of their leaders Syed Mohammad Jubair at the sit-in demanded that Matia must apologise and withdraw of her remarks. He also said that they would continue their movement until a written assurance of meeting their demands was made by the government.
Protestors also alleged that activists of ruling Awami League-backed student body Bangladesh Chhatra League threatened them not to join any kind of protests for reduction of quota on Monday night at Dhaka University halls.
Chhatra League on Tuesday also brought out processions and warned that if anyone tried to destabilise the campus would be resisted. They demanded arrest of attackers of vice-chancellor’s house and arrest of Ganajagaran Mancha leader Imran H Sarkar.
Dhaka University Teachers Association president Maksud Kamal at a human chain on the campus said that demand for quota reform was ‘ethical one’ and teachers had moral supports to the demand but they did not support violence in the name of movement.
The association organised the human chain protesting at the attack on Dhaka University vice-chancellor’s residence Sunday night.
Obaidul Quader and social welfare minister Rashed Khan Menon, escorted by the cops, visited the damaged residence in the morning.
Denouncing the attack, Obaidul said that the house was not even attacked during the Liberation War. He believed that attack was carried out by anti-state elements.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah said that they had collected evidence, and spoke to witnesses of the attack.
The vice-chancellor believed that the attack could not be possible by his students but some of ‘trained’ people.
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the ministry said that a case would be filed for the attack.
Until 7:30pm, no case was filed with Shahbagh police station, said police officials.
‘The Detective Branch was working on it and we are waiting for the university authority for their first information report,’ said Ramna police deputy commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar at about 6:00pm.
He said that they would not enter the campus until the university authority called them.
Hundreds of students from several private universities blocked roads expressing solidarity with the protestors.
In Sukrabad and Kalabagan areas, about 400 students of Daffodil International University and State University of Bangladesh blocked Mirpur Road for over five hours from about noon. DIU student Azizul Haque said that they started the protests for punishment of Chhatra League and police personnel who attacked protesting students at the Dhaka University.
‘We also want a specific decision from the government on reformation of quota’ he said.
In Rampura, Natunbazaar and Bashudhara areas, hundreds of students from East West Univesity, American International University of Bangladesh, University of Information Technology and Sciences, North South University, Independent University of Bangladesh and United International University observed sit-in blocking Pragati Sarani.
Students from different universities gathered on the campuses and then took to the streets following processions holding banners and placards and chanting slogans for reduction of quota.
The students said that they did not attend the classes and would continue the protests until the demand was met.
North South University student Jabir Ibn Kamal said that they wanted justice for their fellow brothers and sisters assaulted Monday midnight.
In Mirpur, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology students brought out procession on Rupnagar Road and Grren University students held protests at Shewrapara.
Students of BRAC University and Southeast University formed human chains at Mohakhali and Banani.
Students’ protests at important places on roads triggered traffic chaos across the capital.
In Chittagong International Islamic University Chittagong students also brought processions on the campus.
Jahnagirnagar University correspondent reported that protesters at the university boycotted all classes and examinations.
University unit platform convener Armanul Islam Khan also announced that they would boycott classes and exams for Wednesday and Thursday.
They also demanded punishment of the cops who attacked the students during the demonstration demanding reformation of the existing quota system in the civil service.
(Justnews/ys/2320hr)
