Anti-quota protest ends for today after brief rally in Shahbagh, countrywide symbolic meetings announced for tomorrow
Students from Khulna University, University of Chittagong and Jagannath University have also staged demonstration with similar demands
Protesters have ended today's (12 July) demonstrations in the capital's Shahbagh demanding reform of the quota system in government jobs and justice for reported attacks on protesters by police.
Organisers have announced to hold symbolic meetings across university campuses tomorrow to discuss further steps, our correspondent reports from the spot at around 7:00pm.
According to the announcement, the organisers have called for a press conference tomorrow at 6:00pm near the Dhaka University central library where they will disclose the next steps regarding the movement.
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Earlier in the afternoon, protesters brought out a procession that circled the campus and ended at the Shahbagh intersection.
The students then blocked the intersection and held a brief rally. But they left the place within an hour.
Meanwhile, students of Rajshahi University blocked the railway today afternoon, demanding reform of the quota system for government jobs and justice for reported attacks on protesters yesterday.
Students from Khulna University, University of Chittagong and Jagannath University have also staged demonstration with similar demands.
The RU students blocked the rail tracks near the Station Bazar area adjacent to the university at around 5:00pm, effectively cutting off rail communication with the rest of the country, our correspondent reports from the spot.
"Two trains were stuck at Rajshahi Railway Station due to students' blockade. The inter-city Tungipara Express was scheduled to leave at 5:00pm, but the train could not leave due to the blockade. Besides, the Pabna-bound Dhalarchar Express train was supposed to leave at 3:30pm, but the train entered Rajshahi after 4pm. Then the wash took about an hour. For this reason, it was not possible for the train to leave. There are no more trains for now," said Rajshahi Railway Station manager Abdul Karim.
Speaking during the blockade today, the RU protesters called for the quota ratio in all government jobs to be cut down to 5% by passing a law in the parliament.
"We are conducting the movement in coordination with the whole country… The quota system should be reformed in all grades by keeping a minimum ratio of 5%," Tofayel Ahmed, a Masters' student at the RU who is participating in the protest, said.
Prior to blocking the railway tracks, RU students also brought out a procession to press home their demands.
Police, yesterday, cracked down on protesters from Comilla University and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, injuring at least 30 people, protesters claimed.
Meanwhile, the protesting students at Comilla University have declared the place where the police reportedly attacked the students as 'Chhatra Andolan Chatto' (Student Movement Square).
The renaming was announced following a procession around 4:30pm today. According to the protesting students, they renamed the place to "commemorate the brutal police attack on university students".
The students also gave an ultimatum to the authorities concerned to remove the proctor within 48 hours and relieve the policemen involved in the attack from their duties.
Nahidul Islam Nahid, one of the coordinators of the protest, yesterday announced that a country-wide demonstration will be staged today on all university campuses across the country at 4:00pm on Friday (12 July), protesting the attacks on agitating students.
The anti-quota protesters also demanded the formation of a commission for the reformation of the quota system in government jobs.
Meanwhile, in a short order published yesterday, the High Court said the government can change the quota ratio as and when necessary amid the protests.
In the short order delivered on 5 June, the HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the 2018 cancellation of quota by the government illegal.
It ordered that the quota for children/grandchildren of Freedom Fighters be restored and the quota reserved for districts, women, those with disabilities, tribes, minor races and others be maintained.
"However, this judgment will not create any bar upon the respondents [government] if they change, reduce or increase the ratio or percentage of the quotas relating to the aforesaid criteria as and when necessary.
"The respondents are at liberty to fill up the vacant post from the general merit list if any quota is not fulfilled in any public examination," it added.
University students across the country began protesting against the quota system for government jobs earlier this month after the HC on 30 June ordered to restore the quota for descendants of freedom fighters which was abolished in 2018.
