Students of the Dhaka College blocked the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital on Sunday, demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 circular abolishing the quota system in government jobs.
Protesting students took position on the road at 1:40pm halting the vehicular movement, and that resulted in severe traffic congestion in the surrounding areas.
Students were seen chanting various anti-quota slogans including, “inform entire Bangla, bury the tradition of quota; down with quota system, free the meritorious students; weapons of 2018, let’s roar again.”
Nazmul Hasan, a student of Dhaka College, also joined the protest. He said they have been on various programmes as part of the anti-quota protest, including a sit-in in front of Dhaka College entrance for four days.
They demand abolition of quota system because it is creating discrimination, he added.
In the meantime, students and job seekers who have been campaigning for withdrawal of quota system in government jobs were set to hold a nationwide ‘Bangla Blockade’ from 3:00pm, with boycott of classes on campuses and obstruction of vehicular movement on roads.
Protesters will block the Shahbagh intersection and will also lay siege to all intersections in the city including Science Lab, Chankharpul, Nilkhet and Motijheel. Besides, students of the universities outside the capital will block the highways of their areas to press home their demands.
The government had canceled the quota system in government recruitments in 2018. However, the High Court on 5 June declared the cancellation of the freedom fighters quota as illegal, essentially reinstating the quota system.
The job aspirants have been protesting since then demanding the reinstatement of the circular abolishing the freedom fighter quota. They on 10 June gave an ultimatum to the government till 30 June to reinstate the circular of 2018.
As their demands remained unfulfilled, the students intensified their movement under the banner of ‘anti-discrimination student movement’ from 1 July.