What Is The Quota System Of Bangladesh?

Students are protesting on Bangladesh’s streets defying bans on public rallies. Reportedly, the death toll has risen to over 60 and communication has been shut down with mobile internet and telephone lines down. Bus and train services have been halted, and schools and universities are also closed till further notice. However, the protests are continuing leading to deadly confrontations between people and the riot police which are using tear gas, rubble bullets, and stun grenades.

The protests are happening against the quota in government jobs to the families of veterans of the country’s independence war in 1971. Students are demanding the scrapping of the quota system and demanding recruitment based on merit.

The critics of the quota system say that it directly benefits PM Sheikh Hasina politically, who won her fourth straight term in January this year. Under the quota system, 30% of the government jobs are reserved for the relatives of war heroes, who fought for the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. A third of the posts are kept for the family members of those who are categorized as war heroes. However, some jobs are also reserved for women, ethnic minority groups, and disabled people.

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Until 2018, nearly 56% of the government jobs were reserved for various categories. Only 44 percent of all openings were available for open admission. Additionally, there were special examinations for quota candidates, and many vacancies remained in quota seats even the eligible candidates in the merit list were unemployed.

Reportedly, government jobs are highly coveted and highly paid in Bangladesh. More than half of the jobs are reserved for certain groups. It is argued that the system unfairly benefits the families of pro-government groups supporting Sheikh Hasina and her party National Awami League, which led the Bangladesh liberation struggle.

The government abolished the reservation in 2018 following protests that demanded a reduction in reservation to 10%. However, it was later reinstated following a court order in early June, triggering a fresh round of protests. Bangladesh’s top court suspended the system again on July 7, but protesters are demanding to remove it permanently. The case has been listed for August 7.

Protesters are demanding the removal of the discriminatory quota system from all grades, limiting the reservation to 5% for backward population as identified in the constitution, and passing a bill.

PM Hasina has allegedly targeted those who oppose the system by calling them Razakar – a term used for those who sided with the Pakistan army during the 1971 war of independence. However, the government minister has denied the allegations.