Defying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's warning, Chhatra League men have yet again attacked activists of the quota reform movement.
When a group of teachers was staging a rally at Dhaka University yesterday against repression on students and teachers, Chhatra League men assaulted some quota reformists on the campus of Chittagong University.
The government has been referring to a Supreme Court “order” on the reservation of 30 percent quota for the children of freedom fighters for the last few days, arguing that it cannot be changed.
Freedom fighters who won a legal battle six years ago are yet to get their retirement benefits for public service as the government has not implemented the court's verdict.
The committee formed on July 2 to “review, reform or cancel” the quota system for civil service may seek 90 more working days as it has not finished collecting information and reviewing reports about the system, sources said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she was unable to understand the logic behind the quota reform movement.
Shahana Begum was frequently turning to have a look at the photo of her son printed on the banner. But every time she did it, tears welled up in her eyes making it difficult for her to start the press conference.
“The university is the place of practicing freethinking where everyone has the right to express their opinions. But such attacks on the campus are not acceptable,” he said.
Students seeking quota reforms in civil service have so far been at the receiving end of the wrath of Bangladesh Chhatra League. But yesterday, even teachers were not spared as they stood by their students.
A Dhaka court yesterday sent three leaders of the quota reform movement to jail on completion of their two-day police remand.
Eminent citizens yesterday called upon the government to make clear its position over the quota system in civil service, in the wake of repeated assault and arrest of quota reformists in the past few days.
Following denial throughout the day, police yesterday evening admitted arresting a quota reform leader from the capital's Shantinagar.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it is not possible to reform the freedom fighters' quota in public jobs due to a High Court verdict.
The Dhaka University authorities yesterday claimed they never said “outsiders were prohibited on campus”.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque yesterday said there is no scope for bringing changes to the 30 percent freedom fighters' quota in public jobs because of a Supreme Court order.
The quota system in Bangladesh civil service is extremely complex and cannot be implemented ensuring proportionate representation of all sections of the society, according to two former top bureaucrats of the country.
The Dhaka University authorities yesterday said no outsider will be allowed to roam or stay on the campus without prior permission, a move that goes against the very character of the country's premier university.
The seven-member committee formed “to review or reform or cancel” the quota system for the civil service will sit for its first meeting today.
With bandages from toe to thigh on his right leg and eight stitches on left side of his head, Toriqul Islam is unable to turn to any side while lying in his hospital bed.