Student Movement Announces New Program In Pursuit Of One-Point Demands

In the ongoing quota reform movement, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has announced a new program to achieve their one-point demands.

Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will hold an online-offline representative meeting across the country tomorrow, Saturday, with the organization’s coordinators.

On Friday (July 12) at 6:15 PM, Abu Bakar Majumder, one of the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, declared this new program at a protest rally at Shahbagh, Dhaka, against the police attack on students from various universities during yesterday's Bengla Blockade.

According to the announced program, the organization will hold a nationwide representative meeting throughout the day tomorrow. The previously declared class and exam boycott program will also continue. Later, at 6:00 PM, they will hold a press conference in front of the Central Library of Dhaka University.

Abu Bakar Majumder condemned and protested the police action against their fellow students at various universities including Cumilla, Chattogram on July 11. He also mentioned that the President of the ruling student organization at Rajshahi University slapped one of their coordinators. He assured the coordinators that they will respond strongly against any attacks on them.

Furthermore, he also pointed out that a journalist friend was attacked by the police in Cumilla, and some infiltrators had filled Dhaka University’s campus to discredit their movement and attack journalists at Shahbagh. He condemned these attacks and demanded punishment for those responsible, emphasizing that journalists have been working tirelessly for their demands since June 5.

Earlier, at 4:15 PM, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement began this protest in front of the Central Library of Dhaka University under their banner. The students then marched through important places of the university and gathered at Shahbagh at 5:15 PM.

Previously, on July 11 at 5:00 PM, students from various institutions took part in a sit-in protest at Shahbagh as part of the ongoing quota reform movement. Their protest caused a complete halt in traffic in and around Shahbagh.

Meanwhile, on July 11, the High Court published the main portion of the verdict declaring the 2018 circular abolishing the quota system invalid. The verdict states that the government may change or extend the quota system as needed. If quotas are not filled, appointments may be made based on merit.

The High Court’s one-page verdict directed the government to reinstate the quota for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters, based on a 2011 order and past court rulings, and to maintain quotas for districts, women, disabled persons, and indigenous minorities, along with any other existing quotas. The government was instructed to issue a new circular within three months.

The court clarified that this ruling does not prevent changes to the quota system in the future, allowing the government flexibility to adjust quotas or use merit lists to fill any vacancies in public examinations.

On June 5, the High Court declared the abolition of the freedom fighter quota for first and second-class government jobs invalid. Following this, on June 9, the government appealed to the Appellate Division to stay the High Court's verdict.

On Wednesday (July 10), the Appellate Division stayed the High Court’s verdict on the abolition of the freedom fighter quota for four weeks, allowing both the government and students to appeal against the High Court's ruling. The next hearing is scheduled for August 7.