Police yesterday foiled a march of anti-quota campaigners in the capital by charging batons and firing teargas shells, leaving at least 15 of the activists injured. 

Anti-quota campaigners consisting of university students and government job seekers have been demonstrating to press home their five-point demand including reducing the existing quota system to 10 percent from 56 percent.

As per the pre-scheduled programme, around 1,000 protesters were marching towards the secretariat to stage a prescheduled sit-in programme there.

A policeman walking over a poster that reads: "We demand reformation of quota system". Photo: Star

Starting from in front of central library of Dhaka University, when they reached the high court intersection around 11:30am, police intercepted them, said the demonstrators.

At one stage, police lobbed teargas canisters and started charging batons on the demonstrators, leaving at least 15 of them wounded, claimed Rashidul Islam, coordinator of the movement -- “Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad”.

Maruf Hasan Sardar, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna zone) said police took action against the agitators as they were demonstrating blocking the road, creating immense sufferings to the commuters.

Police also detained five demonstrators including two women from the spot but later released the women. Demanding release of the three fellows, around 50 demonstrators went to Ramna Police Station around 1:30pm. Then police detained all of them.

Around 4:30pm, over 500 demonstrators marched towards Ramna Police station, demanding immediate release of all of their fellows.

But police intercepted them in Eskaton area, said the anti-quota campaigners.

Police lob teargas shells at demonstrators. An agitator is being detained by police. Photo: Star

Being obstructed, the demonstrators went back to Shahbagh intersection and took position there.

However, all of the detainees were released around 9:00pm, confirmed Maruf Hasan Sardar, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna zone).

Hasan Al Mamun, one of the coordinators of the movement, also confirmed the release to The Daily Star. After the release of the fellows, demonstrators moved away from Shahbagh intersection.

Meanwhile, around 300 students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) brought out a procession on the campus, protesting the detention of their fellows in Dhaka.

In Rajshahi University, over 200 students staged a sit-in on Dhaka-Rajshahi highway demanding immediate release of their fellows in the capital.

The demonstrators across the country have been demanding reformation of the existing quota system.

Their demands include recruiting job seekers to vacant posts on the basis of merit if eligible candidates are not found under quota, preventing special recruitment tests for candidates falling under the quotas, and ensuring unified age for all jobseekers.Currently, only 44 percent job seekers are recruited on the basis of merit. The remaining 56 percent candidates are recruited on the basis of privileges under various quotas.

Demonstrators chanting slogans around 7:00pm at Shahbagh intersection demanding release of their fellows detained earlier. Photo: Star