Quota protesters enforce daylong countrywide blockade today

 

University students on Tuesday declared they would enforce a daylong blockade across the country today (Wednesday) to resume their "Bangla Blockade" movement against quota system in public service recruitment, following a day's pause.

Nahid Islam, a key organizer of the student movement, made the announcement at a press briefing held in front of the Central Library of University of Dhaka (DU), adding maximum 5% government jobs can be reserved for disadvantaged communities. He urged students, chiefly from public universities and colleges, to block the roads, highways and rail tracks adjacent to their campuses from 10am to 6pm on Wednesday.

Naim Islam, another key figure in the quota reform movement, told reporters that the government has instigated the present countrywide crisis. Students have poured out on to the streets in response to a "discriminatory" High Court verdict. The protesters do not want to trouble the general people with their blockades, but so far they have not received any acceptable assurance from the government to halt their demonstrations, Naim said.

Key protest coordinator Hasnat Abdullah complained that some media outlets are wrongly interpreting the students' motive behind protests with some claiming the protesters are against the Liberation War of 1971. But on the contrary, the protesters are not questioning the rewards bestowed upon valiant freedom fighters, and rather want logical practical reform of the quota system, Hasnat added.