FROM PAGE 1

The protests intensified on Thursday after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court decided to uphold until further orders the June 5 High Court verdict that reinstated the 30 percent quotas for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren.

University students demand formation of a commission to remove “irrational and discriminatory” quotas; some quotas for underprivileged communities; and regular recruitment when there is no job seeker from such communities.

They also demand an individual be allowed to use the quota privilege only once in recruitment tests.

In 2018, the government abolished quotas amid widespread student protests.

Before that, there were 30 percent quotas for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters; 10 percent for women; 10 for underdeveloped districts; five percent for indigenous communities; and one percent for people with disabilities.

Thousands marched on DU, Buet, and Eden College campuses around 3:00pm yesterday while Jagannath University students blocked Tanti Bazar intersection.

At a rally there, Rakibul Hasan, a student, said, “The government forced us to take to the streets.”

There were also demonstrations on campuses of Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University and Begum Rokeya University.

Chattogram-Khagrachhari, Dhaka-Rajshahi, Dhaka-Tangail, and Dhaka-Rangpur highways were blocked for a while.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday announced his party’s support for the protesters.