Students protesting for quota reform in government jobs have lifted their blockade of Shahbagh intersection in the evening after around eight hours.
The demonstrators left Shahbagh at 7:33pm after announcing to resume their ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme from Thursday afternoon.
The protesting students demand that the illogical and discriminatory quota system in all government jobs has to be abolished and as per the constitution quota will exist for the backward section at a reasonable level through the passage of law in the parliament.
The protesters under the banner of ‘anti-discrimination student movement’ gathered at Shahbagh intersection at around 11:15am today. The students of different universities and colleges also blocked various intersections of the city to press home their demand.
Before lifting the blockade, Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the platform, said the students will enforce blockade in rail and road across the country from 3:30pm tomorrow. The protesters will gather in front of the central library of Dhaka University and bring out a procession at 3:30pm. The students of other parts of the country will enforce blockade in the roads nearby.
The students will remain in the streets till their one-point demand is met. We want to ask the executive branch of the government to meet our demand immediately so that we can go back to our studiesAsif Mahmud, protester
Asif Mahmud said today’s day-long blockade has been a success.
“We don’t want to go to the High Court for the legal process over the abolishment of the government circular of 2018. We want to go back to studies. The students will remain in the streets till their one-point demand is met. We want to ask the executive branch of the government to meet our demand immediately so that we can go back to our studies,” he said.
Another coordinator Sarjis Alam also said only the executive branch of the government can meet the one-point demand of the students.
He said the government can issue a circular keeping a maximum of 5 per cent quota.
Sarjis said the parliament can take a decision anytime to meet the one-point demand of the students. If the government wants, it can be the last press briefing of the platform.