Quota reform demo to continue as ministers’ comments unite divided protesters

After an eventful day filled with dramatic turns in their agitation for reforms to quota system in government jobs, the split factions of protesting students and jobseekers have joined forces.

The leaders of the protesters say they have backtracked on their decision to postpone the demonstration following the demand of the students and in protest against Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury's remarks on the protesters and Finance Minister AMA Muhith’s comments on reforming the quota system.

They told a media briefing in front of the Dhaka University’s central library on Tuesday evening that their boycott of classes and exams, road blockades and other programmes will continue until their demands are met.

They have also decided to continue the demonstration from morning to evening every day. 

Private university students have also expressed solidarity with the quota reform protests that have spread to the other public universities as well.

Nurul Haque, a joint convenor of the Council to Protect Students’ Rights, said the council, which is organising the protests, postponed the demonstrations on Monday following Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader’s assurance of examining the quota system and giving a decision by May 7.

“But Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury called 80 percent of the demonstrating students ‘children of Razakars’ in Parliament yesterday. And this afternoon our finance minister said it is impossible to reform quotas before the budget.

“We reject this lengthy process,” Nurul said.

Rashed Khan, another joint convenor of the council, said, “The students have not accepted the decision taken at the Secretariat. Classes and examinations will not be held in all the educational institutions beginning from today. The roads will be blocked indefinitely.”

The protest leaders said their demonstrations would continue until Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina makes a specific announcement on the issue.

“Please don’t leave your children on the streets in these times of danger,” Rashed said, addressing Hasina.

After the media conference, hundreds of protesters of the council marched through the campus to the Raju Memorial Sculpture, where the breakaway faction gathered.

They demonstrated together until around 8:30pm.

While leaving the campus after announcing an end to the day’s demonstration, Rashed told bdnews24.com they would gather at the sculpture and demonstrate from 10am to 7pm every day.

Al Amin Haque Opu, one of the spokespersons for the demonstrating students of the private universities, told bdnews24.com: “We will also be on the street. The details of our programmes will be announced later.”  

The protesters shouted slogans like ‘No place for inequality in Bangabandhu’s Bangla’, ‘We want quota reforms’, and ‘We are not children of Razakars’.

‘Razakar’ was a force of volunteers who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Independence.

In Bangladesh, 30 percent government jobs are set aside for the freedom fighters’ families, which are included in total of 56 percent jobs for quota candidates.

The quota reform protesters call this indiscrimination and demand reforms to the system.

They blocked the busy Shahbagh intersection on Sunday afternoon before being chased away by police in the evening.

Clashes between the protesters and the law enforcers, however, continued overnight on the Dhaka University campus. Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman’s residence also came under attack.