The Anti-Quota Unity Alliance has withdrawn its 36-hour hartal in Rangamati on Thursday.
Leaders of the organization said they express gratitude to all who supported the hartal. As the assistant teacher recruitment test scheduled for 21 November has been postponed, they have also called off the hartal.
Alliance leader Nurul Alam said, “We did not want the recruitment test to be postponed. We spoke out against discrimination. We are withdrawing the hartal, but our movement has not stopped. Our movement will continue. We will wait until Saturday to see whether the District Council gives us any clear message.”
Their six demands are: recruitment with 7% quota and 93% on merit; question-setting by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Administration in view of allegations of question paper leaks and irregularities; preserving question papers in the treasury under the supervision of the district administration; evaluation of exam scripts under the district administration; publication of upazila-wise quota in the form of a government circular before the recruitment test; and publication of the names, roll numbers and addresses of all candidates after the examination.
Earlier, demanding that merit rather than quota be prioritised in teacher recruitment by the Rangamati Hill District Council, the Anti-Quota Unity Alliance had called a hartal in Rangamati from 6:00am on Thursday (20 November) to 6:00pm on Friday.
Since the morning, protesters took position in support of the hartal at 8–10 key points in Rangamati town, including Banarupa, Tabalchhari and Doel Square. As a result, school, college and office-goers suffered severe disruption.
As part of the hartal, tyres were burnt and demonstrations held on various roads. Road communication between Rangamati and Chittagong, Khagrachhari and Bandarban was cut off. The town’s only CNG service and the shopping malls also remained virtually closed.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizens’ Council, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Equal Rights Movement and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Students’ Council, Rangamati district unit extended support to the hartal. These organizations also brought out processions and held rallies in the town on Wednesday evening. Leaders and activists of these organizations picketed not only in Rangamati town but also in different upazilas, including Baghaichhari and Longadu.
Earlier, on Wednesday (19 November) afternoon, leaders of the Unity Alliance announced the programme at a press conference held at a restaurant in the town.
