Bangladesh’s court rolls back most govt job quotas after violent protests
Published : 22 Jul 2024, 02:02
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday rolled back most of the controversial quotas on government jobs which sparked violent protests, reported Cable News Network (CNN).
Under the quota system, some 30% of sought-after civil service jobs are reserved for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence from Pakistan in 1971 - with many of the country’s contemporary political elite related to that generation.
Since the roles are linked to job security and higher pay, the quota system has angered many in the country, particularly students and young people, as Bangladesh faces high unemployment levels, said the CNN report.
Dozens of people have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured in the violence, which saw demonstrators gather on streets and university campuses in the capital Dhaka and other cities, the CNN report added.
Meanwhile, in response to the unrest sparked by ongoing protests demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs, mobile internet services remained shut down since Thursday, reported New Age, a leading English language daily published from Dhaka, quoting state minister for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
‘Mobile internet services have been temporarily halted due to the unstable situation created centering the protests. Once the situation stabilises, we will restore connectivity promptly,’ said the New Age report, quoting the minister as saying at a press conference on Thursday.