Indigenous groups blockaded Shahbagh intersection for about four hours on Wednesday, demanding reinstatement of 5% quota privileges for them in government job recruitment.
Under the banner of Adivasi Quota Sangrakkhan Parishad, a platform of ethnic minorities, about a hundred people gathered at Shahbagh intersection at around 10:00am and blockaded the intersection till 2:00pm.
Coordinator of the platform Wiliam Nokrek said: “There is no representative from more than 40 ethnic communities in public service, and a big portion of the community is being deprived and neglected. The sudden abolition of the quota in government job recruitment is likely to stop their representation forever.”
He also said an indigenous student from a remote area should not be compared with a student studying in a good school in an urban area. “It is not right to push everyone into equal competition until a level playing field and equal opportunity is ensured for everyone.”
“The quota system was a constitutional right for ethnic communities according to Section 28(4) and 29(3) of the constitution,” William added.
He also vowed that the platform would continue its movement until restoration of the quota privilege for ethnic minorities.
The platform announced a solidarity rally and cultural program to press their demands, to be held at Shahbagh on Saturday, October 13.
Meanwhile, around fifteen freedom fighter’s descendants under the platform Muktijuddho Moncho also held demonstrations under the giant screen at Shahbagh on Wednesday.
Mehedi Hasan, convener of the Muktijuddho Moncho, said they would continue their movement until the government meets their demands.
Students and jobseekers took to the streets on February 17 and began protests for reducing the quota in government job recruitment to 10% from the existing 56%. The quota privileges included 30% for freedom fighters’ children and their grandchildren, 10% for women, 10% for districts, 5% for ethnic minorities, and 1% for physically challenged people.
In the face of the country-wide demonstrations, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 announced that the quota system in government job recruitment would be scrapped.
The prime minister, however, added that a different arrangement would be made so that members of ethnic minorities and physically-challenged people could get government jobs.
Descendants of freedom fighters, members of ethnic minorities and differently-abled communities began protests demanding cancellation of the circular that scrapped quota for first class and second class government jobs on October 4.
Expressing solidarity with ethnic minorities, Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolan, said quota protesters never demanded complete abolition of quotas. They always sought logical reformation, but the government has shown disregard for underprivileged sections of the country.