Bangladesh court reduces Govt job quotas after deadly student protests

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has reduced the quota for government jobs following a week of deadly protests.

Previously, one-third of government positions were reserved for the relatives of those who participated in the 1971 war against Pakistan. The court has now reduced this quota to 5%.

According to the new ruling, 93% of government jobs should be allocated based on merit, 5% to the families of those who died in the war of independence, and 2% to ethnic minorities, transgender individuals, and people with disabilities.

The Bangladeshi government has yet to respond to the court’s decision.

A month ago, the Appellate Division had ruled that one-third of government positions should be reserved for the families of independence fighters.

This ruling triggered deadly student protests in the country, resulting in at least 110 deaths. After approximately one week of unrest, the Supreme Court overturned the Appellate Division’s decision.

Attorney General Mohammad Aminuddin stated, “The Supreme Court declared the Appellate Division’s ruling illegal.”

Student protests in Bangladesh began when the government allocated 56% of government jobs across various quotas. Under this allocation, 30% of positions were reserved for families of war casualties, 10% for women, 10% for individuals from underdeveloped regions, 5% for indigenous people, and 1% for people with disabilities.

According to the latest figures, at least 110 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and riot police.

The Supreme Court’s decision to scale back the job quota reflects a significant shift in policy aimed at addressing merit-based concerns amid widespread public unrest.

The reduction in the quota is expected to alleviate tensions and could lead to further debates on balancing historical grievances with contemporary merit-based criteria.

The ongoing situation highlights the broader challenges faced by Bangladesh in reconciling past injustices with current governance practices.

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