Bangladesh Supreme Court Sunday scaled back the quota system for government jobs after it led to nationwide deadly clashes between law enforcement agencies and student protesters that have killed over 100 people, AFP reported.
The top court ordered 93% of the government jobs to be allocated on a merit-based system and attorney-general A M Amin Uddin told AFP that five percent of civil service jobs would remain reserved for children of independence war veterans and two percent for other categories.
Curfew update
Sheikh Hasina government's nationwide curfew has been extended till 3 pm on Sunday. Police in the violence-hit country has been ordered to "shoot-on-sight" to quell protests and the death toll has mounted to 114. Only emergency services are permitted in the country and Sunday, Monday have been declared public holidays.
Why students are protesting?
The protests escalated over the last week with Hasina saying on July 14 “If the grandchildren of the freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars get the benefit?”
The statement sparked outrage among youngsters who demand an end to the quota system, which reserved 30% government jobs for kin of veterans of 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.
