Bangladesh reforms government job quotas after violent student protests

The government notification follows a Supreme Court verdict to downsize the quotas after violent student protests

The government has published a notification reforming quotas in government jobs following a Supreme Court verdict with 7 percent seats allocated for different quotas in all grades after violent student protests.

The notification on Tuesday said the quotas were fixed in direct recruitment to government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous institutions, autonomous and statutory authorities and corporations in order to ensure the principle of equality and representation of underdeveloped communities in public service.

From now on, 5 percent of government jobs will be kept aside for the children of freedom fighters, martyred freedom fighters, and Biranganas or war heroines.

The candidates from small ethnic groups will get a 1 percent quota.

The quota for people with disabilities and from the third gender combined is also 1 percent.

The remaining 93 percent posts will be filled directly with candidates from the merit list.

If no candidate is found from the quotas to fill a vacant post, the recruitment will be based on merit.

Deadly violence during the protests brought the country to a standstill for nearly a week, forcing the government to clamp down a curfew.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court heard the case over the quota system and issued the verdict on Sunday, although the original hearing date had been fixed for Aug 7.

Broadband internet was back in some areas on Tuesday night after a five-day blackout while the government decided to keep offices open for four hours from 11am on Wednesday and Thursday after a three-day holiday.