Panellist and participants at a BBC Bangladesh Sanglap programme on Saturday said it was high time to reform the quota system in government jobs, as the system was being misused in many cases.
They made the comments on the TV and radio debate programme, which was recorded on Saturday at the Bangla Academy auditorium in the capital.
Food Minister Abdur Razzak, a panellist, said there was an opportunity now to review the quota system in government jobs. He, however, claimed that new recruits were selected according to merit.
When a participant asked the minister if the ongoing anti-quota movement by university students was an anti-government protest, he replied: “Not at all. We do not think this is an anti-government movement. But in the name of protest, vandalism should not have been carried out.”
In answer to another question on whether it was time to reform the quota system, panellist Farida Akhter, executive director of Ubinig, said the system was creating disparity among students.
“The students’ demand to withdraw quotas is logical,” Farida said.
Another panellist, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, agreed that there should be a reformation in the system.
“Recruitment in government jobs should be made on merit. At present, different quotas make up 56%. But sometimes, candidates are not available against the quotas. As a result, posts remain vacant. The (vacant) posts should be filled up with meritorious students,” he said.
BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain also said it was “high time” to reduce quotas or reform the system. He voiced his support for the student protesters, and condemned the police attack on them.
“If BNP is voted to power, the system will be reformed,” he said.
