PROTESTERS in Bangladesh have issued demands amid a lull in violence that has filled the streets in recent days after the government backed away from recruitment quotas for government jobs.
Student leaders said Monday they planned to continue the demonstrations despite a Supreme Court ruling the previous day to scale back a controversial job quota system that sparked the protests. A deadly government crackdown leading up to the ruling reportedly left 163 people dead, hundreds arrested and thousands injured.
The protesters demanded that the government release protest leaders, lift a military curfew and reopen universities that have been closed since Wednesday. They said they would give the government 48 hours to meet the demands.
Protesters came under fire from security forces, as did other students supporting the ruling Awami League party, last week as they launched their campaign against the quota system, which seeks to reserve sought-after government jobs for relatives of war veterans and other groups.
Although courts have largely overturned the quotas, protesters are demanding accountability for the crackdown, including the resignation of ministers.
They also called for a speedy formality of the decision. Law Minister Anisul Huq promised on Sunday that the government would implement the changes to the law within days.
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Challenge
On Sunday, a military curfew imposed during the protests was eased for a few hours on Monday to allow people to buy basic necessities. But internet connectivity remained down for a fourth straight day in the country of 170 million people.
After protesters called for a nationwide shutdown on Monday, soldiers continued to patrol the streets and tanks were stationed along roads in the capital Dhaka. No further deaths or large gatherings were reported in the afternoon as a temporary calm persisted.
Bangladesh’s army chief said Monday the situation was “under control”. “The law and order situation is under control after the deployment of armed forces,” General Waker uz Zaman said in a statement after inspecting troops at several locations in Dhaka.
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Amid the protests, the government has widened its crackdown on opposition parties, with at least 70 people arrested from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The job quota system, previously ruled out by the government but revived by the court last month, would give 30 per cent of government jobs to relatives of those who fought in the war that won independence from Pakistan in 1971.
After the cuts, 93% of public sector jobs will be dedicated to merit-based hiring, with 5% reserved for family members of veterans. A further 2% will be reserved for people from ethnic minority groups or people with disabilities. (Al Jazeera/Z-3)
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