MBSTU students block Dhaka-Tangail highway

Blocking the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway, students of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University (MBSTU) are staging demonstration demanding cancellation of quota system in government jobs.

They carried out this program at Ashekpur bypass of Tangail between 10:30am to 12pm on Saturday (July 6).

A 20-km of tailback was created from Natiapara to Elenga following their road blockade.

The protesting students said that the high amount of quota will discourage talented individuals and force them to seek jobs abroad. And this will lead to a decline in interest in government jobs within the country.

Meanwhile, additional police were deployed to prevent any kind of mishaps.

On June 5, the High Court declared illegal the circular that cancelled the quotas, including those for freedom fighters, in first and second-class government jobs.

As a result, the 30% quota for freedom fighters in government jobs (grades 9 to 13) will remain in place.

On October 4, 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular to implement the cabinet's decision to abolish the existing quota system for direct recruitment to first and second-class posts in government jobs.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued the circular a day after the decision of the Cabinet to cancel the quota.

The government decided to remove the 45% quota for recruitment in government jobs from ninth to thirteenth grade, opting for merit-based recruitment after a prolonged student movement demanding quota reform. The quota review committee's recommendations led to this decision, approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on October 3, 2018.