The quota reform protesters have said the government will have to take responsibilities for the consequences, if any, in the aftermath of the cancellation of quota system in government service.
The Bangladesh Council to Protect General Students’ Rights held a news briefing on the Dhaka University campus on Sunday to clear its stance on the quota issue as protests for revival of the system is also going on, reports bdnews24.com.
“We always wanted reforms to the quota system in light of our five points. We never wanted to abolish the quotas. The government will be held responsible for the consequences,” the council’s Convenor Hasan Al Mamun said.
Mamun said they would not accept any special appointments in government jobs.
The council also demanded ‘reasonable reforms’ to quotas in third and fourth class government jobs.
Joint convenors Nurul Haque Nur, Faruk Hasan, and Rashed Khan, among others, were present.
“We didn’t launch the movement for reforms to quotas in only first and second class jobs. Our protests were against all sorts of inequality,” Nur said.
The government last Wednesday abolished quotas in class one and two government jobs triggering protests by descendants of freedom fighters who had been enjoying 30 per cent quotas in all government jobs.
Others like small ethnic groups and people with disabilities have also protested against the government decision
Al Mamun, the Dhaka University unit convenor of the Muktijoddhar Sontan Command, on Sunday said that they will continue blocking the Shahbagh intersection from 3pm to 10pm every day until the quotas are restored.
They relaxed the blockade considering the fact that the intersection is used by patients of two key medical facilities, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, he said.
The members of the organisation will enforce a countrywide blockade from 10am to 11am on Monday.
He threatened to organise a rally along with all other organisations linked to the Liberation War if their demands are not met.
Their demands include keeping 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters’ descendants in Bangladesh Civil Service and other government jobs, a law to protect the freedom fighters’ families, and expulsion of children of anti-liberation people from government.
