Bangladesh Supreme Court reversed its earlier decision to reintroduce quota system in civil service jobs, following weeklong deadly violence that left nearly 200 killed, thousands injured, and state properties worth millions of dollars vandalized and gutted. The full bench of the Appellate Division said the government should reserve only a seven percent quota for public service jobs against the 56 percent quota policy previously. The next day, the ruling Awami League government issued a gazette to implement the court order.
The peaceful movement led by university students in the capital Dhaka and other major cities turned violent after police along with pro-government students attacked protesters last week. The attacks intensified the protests which later spread across the country. The government imposed a nationwide curfew, deployed the military, and cut off the internet for five days to restore law and order. Student activists welcomed the court verdict and urged the government to fulfill their demands including justice for the violence and killings.
India’s poor deserve better than this
Concerns are being raised about whether the needs of poor and marginalized communities in India are receiving enough attention in current government policies. Observers say
