BNP sees crookedness in quota abolition announcement

The BNP on Thursday called prime minister Sheikh Hasina's announcement for quota abolition in public service as crooked move.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the premier made the announcement, out of her ‘anger’ and without proper scrutiny.

"The prime minister's announcement for the annulment of quota is contradictory to the Constitution. There's a dirty trick in it," he told a news briefing at the BNP's Naya Paltan central office.

In the wake of a nationwide protests by students and job-seekers, the prime minister announced in parliament on Wednesday that there will be no quota system in government jobs.

Rizvi said the government has resorted to various evil designs to suppress the quota-reform movement.

He alleged that Sheikh Hasina voiced her anger, annoyance and issued threats instead of giving directives for resolving the problem over the quota reforms.

Rizvi also observed that the implementation of the Prime Minister's announcement to abolish quota is not an easy task as the apex court may revoke it if any writ petition is filed against it. "There's a clear provision of keeping quota in the Constitution for underprivileged and ethnic minority communities."

He said the students and job seekers waged their movement for reform in quota, not for its complete cancellation. "The prime minister make the entire nation disappointed through her such decision."

The BNP leader said the prime minister did not take the students' demand for reforming quota system into her consideration with an open mind. "The demonstrators didn't oppose the quota for the children of freedom fighters, marginalised ethnic groups and physically challenged people."