Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has made a landmark decision to largely abolish the controversial quota system for government jobs that sparked violent protests across the country. The court ruled that 93% of government positions should now be allocated based on merit, with only 5% reserved for children of independence war veterans and 2% for other minority groups, including ethnic minorities, disabled people, and transgender individuals.This decision comes after days of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces, resulting in at least 114 deaths, according to local media reports. The unrest began when a lower court reinstated the quota system last month, which had been scrapped by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2018.In response to the escalating violence, the government had imposed a nationwide curfew, shut down internet and phone communications, and issued ‘shoot-on-sight’ orders to quell the unrest. The military was deployed across the country, with soldiers patrolling the streets of Dhaka to discourage further protests.The protests, which began as peaceful student demonstrations demanding a merit-based system, quickly evolved into a broader challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The opposition Nationalist Party of Bangladesh supported the protests but denied involvement in violent acts.The crisis has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who extended her tenure with an election in January that was boycotted by the main opposition groups. The high unemployment rate among young people, with nearly 20% of the country’s 170 million population being jobless, has further fueled the discontent.While the Supreme Court’s decision aims to address the protesters’ demands, it remains unclear whether this will be sufficient to end the unrest. Some students have expressed dissatisfaction, calling for the complete abolition of the quota system. As the situation continues to evolve, the government is expected to announce whether it will lift the curfew and restore internet and phone services.
Key points
- Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has largely abolished the controversial quota system for government jobs, reducing it from 30% to 7%.
- At least 114 people have died in protests and clashes with security forces over the quota system.
- The government imposed a nationwide curfew, internet shutdown, and ‘shoot-on-sight’ orders to quell the unrest.
- The crisis has emerged as the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Contradictions👾While most sources report 114 deaths, one source mentions over 150 people killed, indicating some discrepancy in the reported death toll.
👾Some reports suggest the protests have ended following the court’s decision, while others indicate ongoing dissatisfaction among students.
