Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has made a significant decision by rolling back most of the controversial quotas on government jobs that had sparked violent protests in the country. The quota system had reserved 30% of coveted civil service positions for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence from Pakistan in 1971, a move that had caused discontent among many, especially students and young people, due to high unemployment levels in the country.
The protests, which turned violent, resulted in dozens of casualties and hundreds of injuries, with demonstrators gathering in the capital Dhaka and other cities. The civil service quota system had been scrapped in 2018 following similar protests, but the High Court reinstated it in June, deeming its removal unconstitutional. However, the Supreme Court intervened by suspending the quotas for one month to review the case.
In its recent ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed the reinstatement of quotas and directed that 93% of government jobs will now be open to candidates based on merit, without any quotas. This decision was welcomed by many, including a lawyer representing students, who stated that the Supreme Court had provided a final solution to the quota system.
The new allocation for government jobs includes 93% for general candidates, 5% for freedom fighters and their relatives, 1% for ethnic minority communities, and 1% for the third gender and physically disabled individuals. The Attorney General of Bangladesh expressed hope that normalcy would return after the ruling and urged the government to take strict action against those instigating violence.
To control the unrest, Bangladesh extended a curfew and deployed soldiers in the capital city, Dhaka. The internet blackout imposed by the government has hindered communication, with services remaining at minimal levels for an extended period. The US State Department raised its travel advisory level for Bangladesh due to civil unrest, crime, and terrorism, advising against travel to the country.
