Quota protesters announce indefinite boycott of classes, exams

Staff Correspondent: Quota reform protesters have announced an indefinite boycott programme of classes and examinations at all universities across the country, protesting the attack on them while they were preparing to hold their scheduled press conference in front of the central library on the Dhaka University campus on Saturday.

Md Rashed Khan, a joint convener of Bangladesh Shadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, came up with the announcement.

The boycott programme of classes and examinations will be enforced from tomorrow (Sunday), he said.

Earlier at 11:00am in front of the library, quota protesters and some witnesses alleged that some BCL activists suddenly swooped on the quota protesters when they were scheduled to hold their scheduled press conference to announce their fresh programme.

At that time, they allegedly beat up the protesters taking preparation for holding the press conference, leaving several of them injured.

The injured are - Nurul Haq Nur, 24, joint convener of the council, Abdullah, 23, of Mohsin Hall, Ata Ullah, 25, of S M Hall, Shahed, 25, of Bangabandhu Hall, Saddam Hossain, 25, of Surja Sen Hall, and Haydar.

The platform had started an indefinite boycott of classes and examinations at all universities and colleges on May 14 after the government failed to issue a gazette notification on the prime minister's April 11 announcement of quota abolition in government jobs. It gave an ultimatum for publication of the notification by May 13.

On May 21, the quota reform demonstrators postponed their decision of boycotting examinations considering Ramadan and the prospect of “session jams” the strike may cause.

In April, students of public and private universities across the country took to the streets demanding reform in the quota system. The protesters blocked key points in the capital and roads and highways elsewhere.

At present, 56 per cent of government jobs are reserved for candidates from various quotas, while the remaining 44 per cent draw applications from the merit list.

Of the 56 per cent, 30 per cent are kept for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for people of districts lagging behind, five percent for members of indigenous communities, and one percent for physically-challenged people.

In the wake of the protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the abolition of quotas on April 11, during a parliamentary session.


risingbd/Dhaka/June 30, 2018/Yeamin/AI