We have nothing to do until court decides, PM Hasina says on quota

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her government’s stance on the demand for quota reform as they have nothing to do with the issue until a decision comes from the court. 

“The issue is now at the court. We have nothing to do until a solution comes from the court. It is the reality, and the protesters must accept it,” she said at a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday.  The press conference was organised on the prime minister's recent visit to China.

The government canceled all types of quota in 9th to 13th grade jobs in 2018, in the face of a massive student movement. 

Highlighting its consequences, the prime minister said, “What happens when the quotas are canceled? Only two female candidates have secured the foreign service, and four the police service.” 

She went on saying, “They had asserted that they don't want the quota for women and that they will secure the jobs with merit. Did they make it happen? Did they attend the BCS exams? Did they secure the preliminary test? If they would have secured a job, hadn't they made those big talks.” 

Arguing in favour of the quota system, the prime minister said, “All areas in Bangladesh are not developed equally, and there are some backward communities too. Won't the residents of these areas have any rights?” 

She asked the protesters to approach the court to present their points as instructed by the court. 

When a journalist drew her attention to the issue that the agitating students seek a decision from her, Sheikh Hasina said she has no right to interfere as long as the court is concerned. 

“Since the issue went to the court and the court passed a judgment, I have no right to stand against the judgment right now and the constitution also doesn’t allow me to do so,” she explained.

However, she warned the protesters about the due course of legal action if their movement deviates from its peaceful nature. 

“Destructive acts will not be allowed. No one will say anything as long as they continue their movement peacefully. But if they engage in activities like attacking police and vandalising vehicles, the law will take its own course,” she added.  

Meanwhile, the agitating students and job seekers have presented a memorandum to President Mohammed Shahabuddin, demanding a rational reform in the quota system for government recruitments. 

Returning from the Bangabhaban, the movement leaders said they want visible initiatives regarding their one-point demand within the next 24-hours, and it was mentioned in their memorandum.

They have been protesting since 1 July, demanding that a law be legislated in parliament with a maximum 5 per cent quota for some particular groups.

In continuation of their series programmes, the protesters, under the banner of ‘Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement’, brought out a procession from the Dhaka University’s central library premises around 12:00 pm on Sunday. 

They paraded through the Shahbagh and Matshya Bhaban areas of the city before holding a sit-in before the Gulistan Shopping Complex. On the way, they foiled police barricades at Shiksha Adhikar Chattar and Zero Point in the city.

The protesting students blocked the city roads in the area during their programme, halting traffic movement. Later, a 12-member delegation went to the Bangabhaban around 2:30 pm to present the memorandum to the president and returned from there around 3:00 pm. 

Sarjis Alam, a coordinator of the movement and a member of the delegation, told the protesters that they handed over the memorandum to the president’s military secretary, and he assured them of presenting it to the president at the earliest.