All programs of anti-discrimination student movement are withdrawn
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All programs of anti-discrimination student movement are withdrawn
The coordinators of the anti- discrimination student movement announced the cancellation of all programs. As the government accepted the main demand, they withdrew all the agitation programs.
The announcement was made on Sunday (July 28) night.
During this they read out a written message, in which it was written, many people were injured and killed unexpectedly due to the quota reform movement and the situation arising in its wake. Moreover, there have been many violent incidents including arson in state buildings. We strongly condemn all these untoward incidents and demand fair investigation and speedy trial. Our main demand was the logical reform of the quota which has already been fulfilled by the government. Now I urge the government to open educational institutions quickly to ensure a fair environment for education. In the interest of all, we are withdrawing our program from this moment.
The coordinator of the movement signed the written message. Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Md. Abu Baker, Asif Mahmud and Nusrat Tabassum.
Meanwhile, they urged all educational institutions to quickly ensure a fair environment. Condemning the violence and untoward incident, the coordinators demanded investigation and justice.
Incidentally, before 2018, about 56 percent of government jobs were appointed under quota. However, on October 4, 2018, in the face of violent protests by students, the government issued a circular canceling 10 percent women quota, 30 percent freedom fighter quota and 10 percent district quota in government jobs.
It was said that direct recruitment to the posts of 9th to 13th grade should be done on the basis of merit. The existing quota for direct recruitment in those grades has been abolished.
Seven students, including Ahidul Islam, president of the generation command council and son of the freedom fighter, challenged this circular and filed a writ. In view of this, the High Court declared the circular issued on June 5, 2018 as invalid.
Since then, students from various universities across the country have flocked. The anti-quota protestors protested against the restoration of the quota. Apart from DU, protests were held in various reputed universities and colleges of the country including JU, JnU, RU, Seven Colleges.
Later, this protest turned into violence through various incidents. It has been reported in the media of Bangladesh that at least 200 people have died in violence across the country from 16 to 19 July.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Sunday that 147 people have died in this violence, including 11 Awami League workers. He commented that the rest are students and common people.
Again, at least nine thousand people have been arrested across the country for their involvement in this violence. While some of them are accused in old cases, the police claim that the rest were involved in violence during the quota movement.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police reported that 207 cases have been filed in different police stations of Dhaka till Saturday. More than 2500 arrests have been made in these cases. On the other hand, about three hundred people have been arrested by RAB. The operation is still ongoing.
In addition, there have been incidents of attacks, vandalism, clashes and arson in various places across the country including the capital. Arson and vandalism have caused extensive damage to various important government buildings and institutions.
