Amid the ongoing anti-quota movement called by the protesting students demanding the cancellation of the quota system in government jobs and reinstating the 2018 circular, five ministers and state ministers held a closed-door meeting at the Awami League President’s Dhanmondi party office on Monday afternoon.
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Law Minister Anisul Huq, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, State Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Arafat, State Minister for Education Shamussnahar Chapa and Awami League Office Secretary and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Biplab Barua were present at the meeting.
Sources at the meeting said the ongoing anti-quota movement by the students and the class boycott movement by the University teachers were the main agenda of the meeting.
Academic and administrative activities at public universities across the country remain halted as the indefinite strike by teachers protesting the Prottoy pension scheme started on July 1.
On the other hand, students started protesting against the quota system in government jobs from June 30.
The anti-quota movement was reignited on July 2. Since Sunday, students have been blocking important points of the country as part of their Bangla Blockade program.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, meeting insiders anonymously said that currently the government is not very worried about the teachers’ class boycott because this issue can be resolved after some sittings with leading teachers. They are more concerned about the anti-quota movement as they suspect some anti-government elements may infiltrate the protestors and divert the anti-quota movement on a large scale.
Anti-Quota movement: Protesters announce mass campaign program TuesdayAs the decision on the quota is a matter for the court, ruling party leaders and ministers have declined to explicitly comment on the matter, the sources added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina departed on Monday morning for a four-day visit to China. Subsequently, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader addressed a press conference at the Awami League president’s political office in Dhanmondi at 12:30 pm.
Following the press conference, Quader headed inside the party office at 1:30 pm and sat with the other Ministers and state ministers for an hour.
When asked following the meeting, Law Minister Anisul Huq said: "I rarely come to the party office. I came to visit today and spoke to a few people."
Meanwhile, the law Minister suggested the protestors should appoint a lawyer to place their arguments in the court for their demand.
Another Minister who was in the meeting told the Dhaka Tribune that: "Protesters are not against quota they want to reform the existing quota system, we appreciate their feelings but they should wait for the court's verdict and should withdraw their programs like blockade which creates public suffering."
State Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Arafat said: "We discussed general issues, including political and organizational matters. It was a routine meeting."
In response to a question, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said: "We discussed various issues, but these are not matters to be shared with the media at this moment."
Quader warns against politicizing anti-quota movementRegarding the quota movement, he said: "We will not comment on a matter pending in the court. It is a judicial matter. The decision will come from the court... Our position is that since the matter is pending in court, we will not comment on it. We have to wait. The government has appealed the decision, so I will not comment on it."
At the press conference, Obaidul Quader said that the BNP and its allies are leaning toward the anti-quota movement.
“They have openly supported it, which means they are also participating in it. So now, it has fallen into a state of polarized politics,” he said.
“Over time, everything will become clear. Nothing can be hidden; we are monitoring it,” Quader added.
He also said programs like the anti-quota movement that cause public suffering should be avoided.
"The court scrapped the circular that abolished the quota system. The government has appealed against that decision. How can we intervene here? We say that any movement that causes public suffering should be avoided. Let the court's verdict come, and then we will see," said the minister.
