RU Correspondent:
Several hundred students of Rajshahi University blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway for over two hours today, demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 government circular that abolished the quota system for government jobs.
The protest began around 10:00 am, with students from various departments marching from the university’s Paris Road area to the main gate. Despite the rain, the students staged a sit-in on the highway, chanting slogans such as “Let the weapon of 2018 roar again,” “We want merit-based recruitment, no quotas except for the disabled,” “Students’ action, direct action,” and “No more tears for the meritorious.”
The students dispersed and returned to the campus around 12:30 pm.
Amanullah Khan, one of the protestors, stated, “We will hold such demonstrations regularly unless our demand to reinstate the 2018 circular is met.”
“We are here to eliminate discrimination. We want a fair system. The quota is creating inequality. We want jobs based on merit,” added another protestor, Rabiul Awal.
Among their four key demands, the students are calling for the formation of a commission to reform the quota system in government jobs according to the 2018 circular. They also insist that if no candidates qualify under the quota, the positions should be filled by merit-based candidates.
Additionally, they propose that individuals should be allowed to use the quota system only once in their lifetime for any competitive government examination, including public university entrance exams.
This marks the fourth consecutive day of anti-quota demonstrations by the students.
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