Sunday | 6 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Sunday | 6 October 2024 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● Four die, 1225 patients hospitalised with dengue      ● 105 children killed in mass uprising      ● Saber Hossain Chowdhury arrested      ● 50,000 people marooned as over 100 villages flooded in Netrokona      ● Preliminary list of 735 martyrs killed in July-Aug mass uprising published      ● Mahmudur Rahman demands banning Chhatra League in a week      ● Israeli strike on mosque in Gaza kills 26      

Protest Passes 6th Day

Quota protesters to block countrys major highways today

Classes, exams boycott to continue for indefinite period

Published : Sunday, 7 July, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 236
Tausiful Islam
Quota protesters on Saturday announced to block Dhakas important roads, including Shahbagh, Nilkhet, Chankharpool, Elephant Road and Science lab today (Sunday). Besides, students from all educational institutions across the country will block highways adjacent to their own institutions to press home their demand to abolish quotas in government jobs.

Coordinators of Anti-discriminatory Student Movement announced that the protesters will block major highways at 3:00pm simultaneously across the country, but did not define how long the blockades would last on the streets.

They also announced that college and university students will boycott classes and examinations from Sunday for an indefinite period.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the movement, told the Daily Observer, "As part of our new programme, students will block Dhakas important roads, including Shahbagh, Nilkhet, Chankharpool, Elephant Road and Science Lab on Sunday. Besides students from all educational institutions students across the country will block roads adjacent to their own institutions."

Their demands include abolition of quotas in government jobs, formation of a commission to reform the quota system in all grades of government jobs and to ensure vacant positions are filled with candidates selected on the basis of merit in the absence of quota candidates.

They also demanded that individuals be allowed to use the quota system only once in their lifetime for any type of competitive public examinations, including university admission tests.

Students from Dhaka University (DU), Jahangirnagar University (JU), Jagannath University (JnU), Rajshahi University (RU), Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University (MBSTU), Begum Rokeya University (BRU) and some other universities on Saturday briefly blocked highways protesting the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs.

Thousands of students of DU and some other educational institutions in the capital blocked the busy Shahbagh Intersection for around one hour for the fourth time since July 1.

They blocked the Shahbagh intersection around 4:45 pm and lifted the blockade around 5:30pm, halting traffic movement.

Earlier, the protesters gathered in front of the DU Central Library around 3:00pm and brought out a procession on the campus.

The demonstration marched through the DU Memory Eternal Chattar, TSC, Bakshi Bazar, BUET, Eden College, New Market intersection, Nilkhet intersection, TSC and ended at the Shahbagh Intersection following an hour-long blockade.

Our JU Correspondent reported students of the university brought out a protest procession around 3:00pm from the universitys Central Library which ended at the central Shaheed Minar following brief rally.

Our JnU Correspondent added that students of the university blocked the Tantibazar intersection in the capital for around two hours, causing significant traffic congestion on routes towards Sadarghat and Babubazar.

JnU students began their protest rally at the Kathaltola of the university at 3:00pm.

Hasan Mohammad Jahid said students have rejected the reinstatement of quotas in government jobs.

Sabit Tarek said they would continue blocking streets until they are demands are met.

RU students started their protest march from the campus and took position at the Paris Road area around 10:00am. The protesters left the highway around 12:00pm.

Students of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University started their protest at the Ashekpur Bypass area around 10:30am and moved away from the area at around 12:00pm.

BRU students in Rangpur blocked Dhaka-Rangpur Highway Modern Mor area, causing severe traffic disruption.

Students marched from the universitys Bangabandhu Mural at 12:00pm to start the protest, during which they chanted anti-quota slogans.

Public university students have been demonstrating on their respective campuses including blocking highways and railways since July 1, to press home their demand to ensure merit-based recruitment by abolishing quotas in government jobs.

In the wake of a mass movement in 2018, the Public Administration Ministry issued a circular on October 4 abolishing quotas in first and second class government jobs.

Following a writ petition, the High Court Division on June 5, 2024 declared invalid 2018 circular, cancelling Freedom Fighters quota in government jobs.

The Appellate Division also upheld this judgment for the time being on July 4.



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Bashundhara Group calls for action to stop defamatory campaign against its reputation and business operations
Increased climate financing, evenly allocation of fund stressed
BSC's another oil tanker catches fire, one killed
Reorganize Admin Reform Committee: ICDEC 
No more 'Ayna Ghar,'  'Bhater Hotel' in DB: DMP Addl Chief 
Border security tightened so that none can flee, says Home Adviser 
2 lakh Ansar, VDP members to be deployed
Army has taken steps for security during Durga Puja
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝