dpa
Dhaka
The Bangladesh government on Tuesday issued an order redistributing quotas for government jobs after violent protests demanding reforms in the quota system led to widespread violence and reportedly left more than 180 people dead.
“We published the order in the gazette today in line with the direction of the Supreme Court,” Law and Justice Minister Anisul Huq said at a media briefing at his home in Dhaka.
Under the new order, 93 percent of government jobs would be given on merit and only 7 percent would be reserved for certain groups: 5 percent for family members of freedom fighters, 1 percent for ethic minorities and 1 percent for people with disabilities.
The government in 2018 had abolished the quota system that had previously reserved 56 percent jobs for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters and other special groups. But the High Court had ordered the reinstatement of these earlier job quotas in June and this led to the street protests earlier this month.
The Supreme Court on Sunday nullified the High Court order after student protests turned violent last week. The protesters set fire to numerous vehicles, public buildings like that of the state-run broadcaster, a metro station and an elevated expressway. The student protesters were joined by opposition party activists, whom Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed for the violence. The government imposed curfew at midnight on Friday and mobilized army troops across Bangladesh to restore order.
