The High Court (HC) on Wednesday ordered the restoration of 30% quota for children of freedom fighters in first- and second-class government jobs, erasing the gains 2018 mass movement that had pushed the government to lift all bars on joining top public services.

Deputy Attorney General Sk Shaifuzzaman said the 30% quota for freedom fighters’ offspring has been reinstated through the High Court verdict that has declared illegal a 4 October 2018 government circular abolishing quota system in first- and second-class government job recruitment.

Sk Shaifuzzaman suggested the government could appeal against the new order, even though the current government in its previous term initially preferred keeping the quota system in all public jobs.

The Minister of Public Administration had issued the order ending quota system for grades 9 to 13, regarded as first- and second-class public sector jobs.

The order had opened doors for job seekers from all walks of life to vie for all the available government posts in a given year by dint of their hard work, merit and knowledge. It raised hopes among the youth of leaving behind, at least to some extent, the curse of mass unemployment and low salaries prevalent across the country.

Many job seekers and university students took the streets for months in 2018 demanding abolishment of all the quotas in government job recruitment including the 30% quota for freedom fighters’ children, 10% for women and 10% for candidates from designated districts.

Government finally accepted the demands.

In response, Ohidul Islam and six other children of freedom fighters filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the 4 October 2018 order annulling quotas in first- and second-class public sector jobs.