Bangladesh Top Court Amends Job Quotas amidst Nationwide Protests

Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Sunday scaled back the country's government job quota system following widespread protests across the country. The apex court overturned a High Court ruling that had reinstated quotas and directed that 93% of government jobs will be filled based on merit, without any reservations.

The Supreme Court deemed the High Court's order to reintroduce quotas as "illegal." The top court's verdict specifies that 93% of civil service positions will now be allocated based on merit alone. The remaining 7% will be reserved for specific categories, including 5% for children of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war, and an additional 2% for other designated groups. “The Court has also asked the protesting students to return to class after issuing the verdict,” said Shah Monjurul Hoque reported AFP.

In light of the Supreme Court's hearing, Bangladesh's government had extended a curfew in Dhaka, deploying soldiers to maintain law and order. As per reports, the curfew was extended until 3 p.m., with its duration now indefinite. This extension follows a brief two-hour respite allowing residents to procure essential supplies amid the ongoing unrest in the capital city.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government had initially abolished the quota system in 2018. However, controversy erupted when the High Court reinstated a 30% quota last month following petitions from relatives of 1971 Liberation War veterans.

The High Court's decision triggered protests, mostly led by student bodies. In the violent clashes between demonstrators and forces more than 100 people lost their lives, and thousands have been injured. In response to the unrest, the government imposed curfews, shut down universities, and restricted internet access and public gatherings to restore order. Soldiers patrolled the streets of Dhaka, the epicenter of the protests, as tensions escalated and clashes intensified.​