Curfew extended in Bangladesh as top court scales back government jobs quota

Bangladesh’s top court on Sunday scaled back a controversial quota system for government job applicants after it led to nationwide unrest and deadly clashes between police and protesters that have killed scores of people.

The Supreme Court in its verdict ordered 93% of the government jobs to be allocated on a merit-based system, leaving the remaining 7% for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 and other categories. Earlier, the system reserved 30% of such jobs the relatives of war veterans.

Sunday's verdict comes after weeks of demonstrations — mostly led by students — that turned deadly on Tuesday after protesters began clashing with police. During the week, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter stone-throwing protesters who filled the streets and university campuses. Sporadic clashes in some parts of Dhaka, the capital, were reported on Saturday but it was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities.

Bangladeshi authorities haven’t shared any official numbers of those killed and injured, but the Daily Prothom Alo newspaper reported Saturday that at least 103 people have died so far.

Ahead of the court's hearing, soldiers patrolled cities across the South Asian country, while a nationwide curfew and an internet blackout continued to remain in force. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the curfew will be relaxed from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday for people to run essential errands.

Members of the Bangladesh Army instruct onlookers to stay indoors at the Rampura area in Dhaka. Reuters

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.

The chaos highlights cracks in Bangladesh’s governance and economy and the frustration of young people who lack good jobs upon graduation. It also represents the biggest challenge to Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after January’s elections, which were boycotted by the main opposition groups.

Protesters argue the quota system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, saying it should be replaced with a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.

Bangladeshi soldiers inspect commuters along a street amid the anti-quota protests in Dhaka on Saturday. AFP

Representatives from both sides met late Friday in an attempt to reach a resolution and Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government was open to discussing their demands. The demands included the reform of the current quota system, the reopening of student dormitories shut by the police following the clashes and for some university officials to step down after failing to protect campuses from the violence.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has backed the protests, vowing to organise its own demonstrations as many of its supporters have joined the student-led protests. However, BNP said in a statement its followers were not responsible for the violence and denied the ruling party’s accusations of using the protests for political gains.

The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country’s national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures. Hasina’s government had accused the opposition party of attempting to disrupt the vote.

In 2018, the government halted the job quotas following mass student protests. But in June, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of 1971 veterans filed petitions. The Supreme Court suspended the ruling, pending an appeal hearing.

Hasina has called on protesters to wait for the court’s verdict.

Associated Press