Dhaka: Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has scrapped most government job quotas, reversing a lower court decision that sparked nationwide student protests resulting in at least 114 deaths.
The court’s Appellate Division ruled on Sunday that 93% of government jobs will now be filled based solely on merit, according to Bangladesh’s Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.
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This overturns a previous reinstatement of quotas that had reserved 56% of government jobs for specific categories.
“Students have clearly stated they are not involved in the violence and arson that have gripped Bangladesh since Monday,” Amin Uddin said in a phone interview. He expressed hope that normalcy will return following the court’s decision and that those inciting violence will cease their actions. He also urged the government to identify and punish those responsible for the recent unrest.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government had originally eliminated job quotas in 2018, but a lower court ruling last month brought them back, triggering the student protests. These protests were met with a government crackdown, leading to the internet and text message services being shut down nationwide since Thursday.
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The near-170 million people of Bangladesh have faced limited communication options as security forces have responded to the protests, which defied a ban on public gatherings.
Soldiers have been patrolling the capital city of Dhaka, where military checkpoints have been established under a government-imposed curfew.
Local media reported scattered clashes between protesters and security forces earlier on Sunday. International phone calls and Bangladeshi media websites have also been largely inaccessible.