AT LEAST 80 PROTESTERS INJURED IN QUOTA REFORM CLASHES, QUOTA-REFORMATION DEMO CONTINUES AT UNIVERSITIES ACROSS COUNTRY.

Job-seekers and students demanding reform of the existing quota system in public service clashed with police in Shahbagh and Dhaka University areas throughout the night on Sunday, leaving at least 80 people injured. After yesterday’s nightlong battle at Dhaka University, the demand for quota reform in civil service has gained momentum and fueled protests in other parts of the country as well.

This morning, students of Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Shahjalal University, Chittagong University and others restarted protests this morning.

In Dhaka University, the centre stage of all the action, protests are brewing up afresh, seemingly ready to begin another day of push after only hours of quietness. The photo was taken at TSC area of DU on April 9, 2018.

And, in Dhaka University, the centre stage of all the action, protests are brewing up afresh, seemingly ready to begin another day of push after only hours of quietness.

The leaders of Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad (Bangladesh General Students' Right Protection Council) issued the warning speaking with reporters in front of Dhaka University's central library on Monday morning.

Last reported, students were marching up and down the Dhaka University campus – through Arts Faculty, Central Library, TSC, and Doyel Chattar – chanting slogans for reducing the 56 per cent quota reservation to around 10 per cent to allow non-quota holders to compete.

Law enforcers – police and Rapid Action Battalion – were seen deployed aplenty throughout the campus, at Shahbagh, Doyel Chattar, Nilkhet, and several other key points within the campus. Armoured vehicles and water cannons have been kept at the ready.

A section of Jahangirnagar university students block the Dhaka-Aricha highway to continue their demonstration demanding reformation in the quota system on April 9, 2018.

In Jahangirnagar University, a section of students blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway. Last reported at 11:30am, traffic movement on the busy highway was interrupted.

Thousands of Chittagong University students demonstrating blocking the shuttle train service at Sholosohor, Chittagong city on April 9, 2018.

Over a thousand demonstrators were demonstrating since last reported around 12:30pm, Sub-Inspector Jakir Hossain of Government Railway Police (GRP) outpost at Sholoshohor Station.

Thousands of Rajshahi University students stage a sit-in in front of the university main gate blocking the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway on April 9, 2018

In Rajshahi University, thousands of students started a sit-in in front of the university’s main gate blocking the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway since 10:00am.

Some teachers were also seen participating in the protest that halted vehicular movement on the highway when this report was filed around 11:45am.

Around 500 students of Rajshahi University Engineering and Technology (RUET) stage demonstration in front of their university main gate blocking the highway on April 9, 2018.

Meanwhile, students of Rajshahi University of Science and Technology (RUET) also joined the protest taking position in front of the university main gate around 11:30am.

In Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust), students staged peaceful sit-in protests inside the campus since 9:00am pledging their solidarity with the movement.

More than 500 students were holding the sit-in program abstaining from classes and exams. Additional law enforcement was also observed.

Last night was a night of battle at Dhaka University. Throughout the night, police tried to quell quota demonstrators – lobbing tear gas shells, charging batons and firing rubber bullets.

Widespread vandalism took place on the hands of agitating students, including at the residence of Dhaka University’s vice chancellor. The cars in his residence compound were torched.

At one stage, they attacked the VC's residence around 1:30am, broke its main entrance and ransacked several rooms and furniture.

Meanwhile the residence of the DU vice-chancellor was ransacked and several vehicles, including two inside the VC’s residence, torched during the sporadic clashes that lasted till 6:00am on Monday.

Meanwhile, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader is expected to sit with the demonstrators on Monday.

Police dispersed the agitating job-seekers and students from Shahbagh intersection around 8:00pm on Sunday charging baton, and lobbing teargas shells and rubber bullets after they blocked the intersection as part of the programme announced earlier by Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad (Bangladesh general students’ right protection council).

Amid the police action, the demonstrators retreated towards the DU campus. However, they took position on different roads and continued their protest.

The demonstrators turned violent around 1:00am on Monday following a rumour that a Dhaka University student was killed in police action.

Female students of the university also came out of their dormitories and joined the protesters.

Quota reform: Overnight clash turns DU into battlefield police in action

At one stage, they vandalised the VC’s residence around 1:30am, broke its main entrance and ransacked several rooms and furniture. The angry protesters also set fire to two vehicles parked inside the VC residence.

On information, police and Bangladesh Chhatra League men rushed in and chased them. Later, they went back to the Raju Sculpture.

Quota reform: Overnight clash turns DU into battlefield police in action

Around 2:00am, police surrounded them in the area and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them. Being chased, the female students took shelter in the Teacher-Student Centre.

Besides, sporadic clashes continued at different places on the campus till 6:00am when protesters also torched several more vehicles, including a cop one.

Quota reform: Overnight clash turns DU into battlefield police in action

Police detained at least 25 students from the protest.

The injured students were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Dhaka University Medical Centre.

Meanwhile, Awami League joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak met the demonstrators on the DU campus after 2:00am.

Speaking on the occasion, he said their party general secretary Obaidul Quader would sit with the job-seekers and students on Monday morning.

Earlier, job-seekers and university students staged demonstrations across the country on Sunday demanding that the quota system in public service, including BCS examination, be reformed.

On 17 February, students and job-seekers 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 per cent quota instead of existing 56 per cent.

Present quota system in Bangladesh civil bureaucracy

The present quota system has been alleged to deprive many meritorious students from getting jobs in the Bangladesh public service. General students all over the country have been protesting it saying this present quota system should be reformed including a reduction in the number of quota-based government jobs, and merit-based recruitment in vacant posts in case of unavailability of eligible candidates for quota-based jobs, and same age limit for all jobseekers.

Source : Star Online and Facebook post