It would be best to reform quotas as soon as possible, says Dhaka University vice chancellor

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman says he supports the calls for reforms to the quota system for government jobs and says that it would be best for the government to make the changes as soon as possible.

The vice chancellor made the remarks as large-scale protests by students and job seekers entered their fourth consecutive day.

Prof Akhtaruzzaman said he had pressed top government officials to take swift action to enact the reforms. The university administration and teachers are ‘in solidarity with’ the demands of the students, he said.

“Our students have taken to the streets. I am expressing my support for quota reforms. I am calling on the government to enact these reforms as quickly as possible so students can return to their regular lives.”

The latest round of quota reform protests became violent on Sunday evening as police and the Bangladesh Chhatra League clashed with students on the Dhaka University campus. The following day a delegation of the protesters met with Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader.

The delegation decided to postpone the protests until May 7 after Quader assured them that a decision on the matter would be taken soon.

Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman

But on Tuesday, after a number of the protesters refused to back down, the protesters announced that they would continue with their demonstrations.

“I believe the demands are reasonable,” the vice chancellor said. “The quicker the demands are met and the reforms enacted, the quicker the agitation will calm.”

The longer the situation is deliberated the more suffering it will cause students, he said.

Akhtaruzzaman said that there was a general impression that the university administration and teachers were against the quota reforms, but that it was not true.

“But quota reforms are so logical that the administration supports them fully,” he said.

The Dhaka University Teachers Association has also supported the quota reform demands by students.

The reform of the quota system is a ‘necessity of this era’ the organisation said in a letter signed by chairman Prof ASM Maksud Kamal and Prof Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam.

The letter called on the government to make a clear decision on the issue as soon as possible.

“We also call on law enforcers to take steps to prevent any police action against students conducting legal and peaceful protest programmes.”

The letter stressed the security and safety of teachers and students and asked the government to arrange for the medical treatment of those injured in the clashes.