Procession demanding quota reforms begins at DU
The procession demanding cancellation of all irrational and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs as part of the ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme started from the Dhaka University (DU) campus Wednesday morning.
The procession was brought out under the banner of ‘anti-discriminatory student' movement at 11:00 am. The procession will parade through different roads on the campus and will end at the Shahbagh intersection in the capital.
Meanwhile, the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) thronged in front of Madhur Canteen today as well. However, they are not obstructing the protesters demanding quota reform.
Meanwhile, the movement coordinators alleged before bringing out the procession that students were being obstructed from joining the movement at their residential halls.
As part of the declared programmes, the students started gathering in front of the DU Central Library from 9:30 am. By 10:00 am the gathering spread up to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Building. The protesters were chanting various anti-quota slogans.
After a pause on Tuesday, the students and job aspirants are observing their Bangla Blockade programme for the third day. They are blocking the roads at several major points of the capital as part of their protest.
The protesters are supposed to block the Shahbagh intersection after ending the procession there.
Besides, the students of different universities have boycotted the class and exams today and are observing a student strike as part of the programmes declared on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the academic activities of DU have come to a complete halt as a result of the simultaneous movement of the teachers and students.
The protesters have been waging the movement since 1 July. Although they pressed four-point demand at the beginning, now they are protesting to press home their one-point demand of passing a law revoking all the irrational and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs and minimising the quota for people from backward parts of the country.
Meanwhile, two DU students filed a writ with the High Court on Tuesday seeking reinstatement of the 2018 circular of the public administration ministry cancelling quota system in government jobs.
However, the protesters said in the evening that they have no relation with the writ petition filed with the High Court.