Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday rolled back most of the controversial quotas in government jobs that sparked violent protests.
Under the quota system, 30% of sought-after jobs are reserved for the descendants of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan — to which many of the country’s contemporary political elites belong.
Because these roles are linked to job security and higher pay, the quota system has angered many people in the country, especially students and youth, as Bangladesh faces high levels of unemployment.
Dozens of people have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured as protesters gather on streets and university campuses in the capital Dhaka and other cities.
In 2018, the civil service quota system was abolished following similar protests but was reinstated by the High Court in June, declaring its abolition unconstitutional. On July 10, the Supreme Court suspended the quota for one month while hearing the case.
On Sunday, the country’s top court overruled an earlier verdict that had brought back the quota and directed that 93 percent of government jobs would be open to merit-based candidates without quota.
Speaking to local media in Dhaka after the announcement, lawyer Shah Manjoorul Haq, representing the students, said the Supreme Court had “given the final solution to this quota system.”
“It is 93% quota for common people, 5% quota for freedom fighters and their relatives, 1% for ethnic minority community, and 1% for third gender and physically challenged persons,” he said.
According to local media, the curfew was extended until after the Supreme Court hearing and will continue for an “indefinite time” after a two-hour break for people to collect supplies.
The US State Department raised its travel advisory level for Bangladesh on Saturday, urging people “not to travel” because of “civil unrest, crime and terrorism”.