Anti-quota protest is going on across the country following the recent reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs. The students have announced to boycott classes and exams.

About 56 per cent of government jobs had been reserved for candidates from various quotas. How bizarre is that! No other country in the world has such a discriminative system.

The quota system was introduced in 1972 by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as recognition of the country’s freedom fighters’ contributions. In 1972, to reward the freedom fighters, Bangabandhu introduced ‘Interim Recruitment Rules’. But that was ‘interim’, not permanent. Bangabandhu introduced that only as a temporary system. From 1972 to 1976, 20% were recruited on merit. Merit-based recruitment was 40 per cent in 1976 to 1985.

However, quota system is unconstitutional unless it is done in order to favour a backward section of society. Article 29 (1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh states that there shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in the employment or promotion of public works. And Clause (a) of Article 29 (3) says: “Nothing in this article shall prevent the state from making special provision in favour of any backward section of citizens for the purpose of securing their adequate representation in the service of the republic.” So, it is totally unfair to restore the 56% quota in the competitive exams and government jobs. Quota system is unfair in this current context.

Freedom fighters are our heroic sons. They are respected undoubtedly and we are not against them. Increasing the facilities of the ‘real’ freedom fighters who are in backward position is okay.  But is it fair to conserve the 30% quota for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren in government jobs? Are all of them included in backward communities?

Discrimination led to our liberation war. The very spirit of the Liberation War was in protest of the unjust, unequal, discriminatory system of erstwhile Pakistan. The freedom fighters quota that seeks to create a privileged section of people hereditarily is exactly what they had fought against. In that free country how can there exist discriminatory systems like quota?

We want merit-based recruitment, no quota except for the disabled. We believe our anti-quota movement will be successful.