Organisers call off quota reform protests

FT ONLINE

Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Council on Thursday announced to stay all their protest programmes in response to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s decision to cancel all quotas for government jobs.

The announcement came from a press conference at the foot of Raju Sculptor in the Dhaka University campus around 11:30 am.

Convener of the council Hasan Al Mamun read out the press note before the media.

The decision was taken after the prime minister’s announcement was discussed by the protesters overnight, he said.

They also announced to bring out a cheerful rally at the DU campus later in the day.

Earlier, demonstrators thronged at the foot of Raju Sculptor in the morning to give their reaction over the issue.

On Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that there will be no quota system in government jobs.

After the announcement, Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Council on Wednesday announced to halt their movement until Thursday morning and disclose their decision over it in a press conference in the morning.

On February 17, students and jobseekers started the movement to press for their five-point demand that include introduction of unified age limit in government jobs, review of quota system in government recruitment process, including Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, stopping taking benefit by job seekers under the same quota, filling vacant posts from merit list if the candidates from quota are not found and fixation of 10 percent quota instead of existing 56 percent.