After blocking the Shahbagh intersection for one hour, the students and government job aspirants lifted their blockade and announced a new program called “Bangla Blockade”, scheduled to begin at 3pm on Sunday.
Every intersection and important roads across the country will be blocked as part of the "Bangla Blockade" initiative.
Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement Coordinator, Nahid Hasan, said: "Bangla Blockade program has been announced from 3pm tomorrow (Sunday). At every turn, every signal will be blocked across the country."
He urged colleges and universities nationwide to carry out blockade programs.
They ended the blockade around 5pm, after an hour, allowing traffic to resume through the intersection.
He criticized the government for irresponsibly pitting students against the court, emphasizing that the administrative branch can not ignore its responsibilities. He questioned why students are being mocked and also hinted at potentially calling a hartal to enforce their demands.
Nahid said that students would not return to classrooms until their demands were met, regardless of teachers resuming classes.
He also claimed that Bangladesh Chhatra League members are blocking protesters from joining the protest.
The protesters have been protesting to press home their four-point demand, including cancelling the quota system in government jobs and reinstating the 2018 circular.
Their protest program continued for the sixth consecutive day.
The four-point demands of the protesting students include reinstating the 2018 circular conditionally, forming a commission to promptly remove irrational and discriminatory quotas in government jobs (all grades), ensuring that quota benefits can not be used multiple times, and filling vacant positions based on merit if no qualified candidates are found through quotas. Effective measures must be taken to ensure a corruption-free, impartial, and merit-based bureaucracy.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the High Court’s verdict that declared the decision to cancel the quota system, including the first and second-class freedom fighter quota in government jobs, illegal.
On June 5, the High Court declared illegal the circular that canceled the quotas, including those for freedom fighters, in first and second-class government jobs.
As a result, the 30% quota for freedom fighters in government jobs (grades 9 to 13) will remain in place.
Following the High Court ruling, various discussions and criticisms emerged on social media. Additionally, protests and demonstrations took place in several locations, including Dhaka University.
Meanwhile, students of Dhaka University demanded the withdrawal of the High Court's verdict to reinstate the 30% quota for the children of freedom fighters in government jobs from grades 9 to 13.
On October 4, 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular to implement the cabinet's decision to abolish the existing quota system for direct recruitment to first and second-class posts in government jobs.