Bangladesh top court scraps job quotas that caused deadly unrest

The top court scales back – but does not abolish – a contentious quota system that sparked deadly protests.

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs that led to student-led protests in which more than 100 people have been killed, according to local media.

The court’s Appellate Division dismissed a lower court order that had reinstated the quotas last month.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the AFP news agency: “The Supreme Court has said the High Court verdict was illegal.”

He added that 5 percent of civil service jobs would remain reserved for children of independence war veterans and 2 percent for other categories. Previously, 30 percent of the jobs were reserved for the relatives of war veterans.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government scrapped the quota system in 2018, but the lower court reinstated it last month, sparking deadly protests and an ensuing government crackdown.

The verdict comes after weeks of demonstrations — mostly led by students — against the quota system they believe is discriminatory.

Protesters argued the quota system benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, saying it should be replaced with a merit-based system.

Hasina defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.

Last week the protests grew increasingly violent, with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets and hurling smoke grenades to scatter the activists who filled the streets and university campuses.

On Friday a crowd of thousands besieged a prison in the central district of Narsingdi armed with machetes