The students demonstrating for reasonable reform in quota system in all grades of government jobs have announced to continue their movement until the government enacts a law in the parliament reforming it.
The students will hold a mass march at 11:00am tomorrow, Sunday, in Dhaka city and place a memorandum to the president demanding reform in quota system in all grades of government jobs.
The students of universities and colleges outside Dhaka will hold mass marches and place memoranda to the president through deputy commissioners of their respective districts.
The mass march in Dhaka will start from Dhaka University central library premises which will be attended by students of DU, Jagannath University students, Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University, seven collages, Dhaka College and other institutes in the capital.
The leaders of ‘anti-discrimination student movement’ rolled out the fresh programmes at a press briefing in front of Dhaka University central library this afternoon.
They also announced to continue their strikes in colleges and universities across the country until their one-point demand is met.
Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the organising platform, announced the programmes for tomorrow.
Replying to a question, Hasnat said they think 5 per cent quota is reasonable in recruitment of all grades in government jobs. He said the demonstrators are not against freedom fighter quota, rather against the quota reserved for grandchildren of the freedom fighters.
Nahid Islam, another organiser of the protesters, alleged that the government is planning and preparing to suppress the movement.
The government should have taken an initiative to discuss with students to find a solution at the very beginning. But they are planning and preparing to suppress the movement through using various meansNahid Islam, one of the organisers of student protest
“We had been waging our movement peacefully. The government should have taken an initiative to discuss with students to find a solution at the very beginning. But they are planning and preparing to suppress the movement through using various means,” Nahid said.
He claimed that any initiative to suppress the movement might become counterproductive for the government and it will have to take all the responsibility if any such incident.
Nahid said the protesters are preparing for a greater mass movement if their demand is snubbed.
“We’ll be forced to launch a movement taking people from all sections of society with us,” he warned.
Nahid also gave the authorities 24 hours to withdraw the case filed by police against unidentified students on allegation of beating up the on-duty policemen and damaging their vehicles in Shahbagh during the ongoing quota reform movement on Thursday.
“We give an ultimatum of 24 hours for withdrawal of this false case. Besides, those responsible for attacking students will have to be brought to book within 24 hours,” he said.
The anti-discrimination student movement has been conducting a movement since 1 July, demanding a rational reform into the quota system.
During their blockade programme on Thursday, the students alleged that the policemen attacked their programmes. They declared further demonstration programmes across the country for the next day.