BNP MPS debate legality of district quota for jobs
By Staff Correspondent
The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) yesterday witnessed a constitutional debate, on the legality district quota system in the recruitment of officers and employees in government ser vice
Abdur Rob Chowdhury. MP of the ruling party, while speaking on the issue, ob served that the district quota policy was not consistent with the country a Constitution.
In a bid to justify his contention. Chowdhury read out Article 28(1) of the Con •tltution which says: The state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
Chowdhury observed that pursuing the quota system. Instead of attaching Impor lance on merit, had contributed a lot to the deteriora tlon of the standard of the cadre services.
Their lack of commitment and failure to understand Is sues and their acts of Indisci
pilne are now matters of concern for the whole nation." Chowdhury, a former bureau crat. told the House amidst thumping of benches led by Deputy Leader of the House. Prof A Q M Badruddoza Chowdhury.
However. Education Minis ter Jamiruddln Sircar took the floor to contradict Abdur Rob Chowdhury's observations on the quota policy from the constitutional point of view
Referring to Section 4 of Article 28 of the Constitution, the Mucation minister said, the quota system was very much'consistent with the constitutional provisions of the country. Article 28(4) of the Constitution reads: Nothing In this article shall prevent the state from making special pro vision In favour of women or children or for the advancement of any backward section of citizens.
Sircar, however, did not mention Article 29(3)(a) which clearly reads. Nothing
in this article shall prevent the state from making special pro vision In favour of any backward section of citizens for the purpose of securing their adequate representation in the service of the republic .
But the minister, making an oblique reference to the former civil servants of the erstwhile East Pakistan, said that JO to 20 per cent officers in the cadre services were re crutted by the Pakistan government on the basis of merit, while the rest on the basis of provincial quotas.
"As a result, many Bangalee officers got jobs In the blvll service. Sircar reminded Abdur Rot> Chowdhury.
The parliament members who supported Chowdhury a few minutes earlier, however, kept quiet over the education minister’s rebuttal
The debate started when Mashiur Rahman of the BNP moved a motion for a short discussion on the district quota system in government services. Rahman, in his motion. alleged that the district quota was not being maintained regularly.
Speaker Shaikh Razzak All ’ deferred the discussion until the next sitting of Parliament.
Earlier, the Speaker deferred the passage of a bill — The State Acquisition and Tenancy (Amendment) Bill. 1994 — to Sunday because of some technical flaws in the drafting of the proposed legislation.
Besides, three call attention notices of Sardar Shakhwat Hossain Bokul. Maulana Ataur Rahman Khan and Abdur Rauf Chowdhury were also disposed Of yesterday.
Shakhwat Hossain, calling the attention of the State Mi nister for Land Kabir Hossain, said that provisions should be made banning the construction of residential structures on cultivable land in the rural areas.
Abdur Rauf Chowdhury drew, the attention of the Labour and Manpower Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on the need for rehabilitation of the disabled industrial workers of the country.
The Speaker adjourned the House at 9:15 pin to resume again at 7:30 this afternoon.