Quota reform movement: Protesters announce new programme

The students, who have been demonstrating for reforming the quota system in government jobs since 1 July, have announced a new programme.

The students will organise a protest procession and rally at all the educational institutions across the country at 3:00 pm Tuesday.

The new programme was announced Monday night when the clash between the demonstrators and Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists stopped in Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall area of Dhaka University.

Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of “anti-discriminatory student movement”, the platform that has been leading the movement, announced the programme from the pavement of the road adjacent to Curzon Hall of the university at 9:40 pm.

Earlier, the demonstrators wanted to go to the Central Shaheed Minar to announce their programme but the police members at Doyel Chattar stopped them.

“We shall bring out a protest procession and organise a rally at all the campuses at 3:00 pm Tuesday on demand of withdrawal of the prime minister’s statement and rational reform in the quota system. We have to go for a wider mass movement,” said Nahid Islam.

He also called upon the students to take preventive measures so that the attackers cannot enter the residential halls of the university.

Nahid Islam stated that today (Monday) is one of the saddest days in the history of Dhaka University. Attack has been carried out on the protesters bringing outsiders and people who are not students on the campus. Many including female students have been injured in the incident, with 20-25 in critical conditions.

The proctor remained silent during the attack, he alleged. “The students do not want this proctor.”

Alleging that the government, law enforcement agencies and governing party’s student wing planned the attack earlier, Nahid Islam said the attack was carried out at different universities in a planned way. “But no violence will be able to stop this movement.”

“We have been waging a justified movement. There is no scope for a third party to enter here. Our movement will come to an end whenever our rational demand is fulfilled,” he said.

The protesting students return to their respective places after his speech.