Sufferings of the people know no bounds as students of different universities and job seekers blocked roads and highways across the country, protesting the High Court’s ruling to restore 30 per cent quota system in public services for the children of freedom fighters.
The agitating students staged sit-in programme on major roads and highways across the country, including capital Dhaka, on Thursday, leading to severe traffic congestion much to the sufferings of general people.
Students of Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway, Chittagong University students blocked roads in Chattogram, Comilla University students obstructed roads in Cumilla, Barishal University students blocked roads in Barishal and Bangladesh Agricultural University students obstructed Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, creating a long tailback.
Passengers, patients and office-school goers are the worst sufferers as they got stranded for hours due to the traffic snarl created for the student’s agitation.
Ambulances carrying serious patients got stuck at different places due to the road blockade.
Many people alleged that whenever any group or political party wants to go for any action programme, they first block the roads, breaching the constitutional rights to free movement of general people.
Article 36 of the Constitution stipulates that subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest, every citizen shall have the right to move freely throughout Bangladesh, to reside and settle in any place therein and to leave and re-enter Bangladesh.
Referring to the constitutional provision, a senior citizen said that general people become the worst victim during any protest as the protesters make them (people) hostage to press home their demand.
Many people carrying bags were seen walking on foot to reach their destinations.
Students of Dhaka University (DU) blocked the Shahbagh intersection at about 12:15pm, chanting various slogans against the quota system.
This was for the third consecutive day that the DU students gathered at Shahbagh to protest the recent ruling of the High Court to restore quota system in public service for the children of freedom fighters.
Many say that they are not against any movement of any group or political party, but protesters must think about the sufferings of the general people before holding any such programme on the streets.
Sabina Yeasmin, who was taking her sons to the school, said they experienced long tailback. “My vehicle has got stuck at the signal for a long time. The traffic jam has been created due to the action programmes of the students.”
“The traffic jam is increasing our woes every day,” she added.
A bus driver at Karwanbazar said that traffic jam has turned severe on different roads due to the students’ sit-in programme at Shahbagh intersection.
“We are getting less number of trips as our vehicles remain stuck on roads for hours. Many passengers are going to their destinations by walking on foot,” he added.
A traffic sergeant at Bijoysarani signal said that most of city roads are facing huge pressure because of the students’ road blockade programme. “We are trying to reduce the sufferings of the people,” he added.
Amid the ongoing movement of the students, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the HC judgement on quota system.
“Not today,” the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan said, reports BSS.
The Appellate Division after the hearing told the state to file a leave to appeal petition after the release of the full text of the High Court judgment that was pronounced on June 5, 2024.
“Let's keep the High Court judgment as it is for now. You file a regular petition and we would hear that,” the apex court said.
A High Court division bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat pronounced the judgment on June 5, paving the way for reinstating the 30 percent freedom fighter quota in public service.
There were some 56 percent quota for government jobs till 2018. Of them, 30 percent is for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters, 10 percent each for women and people of under-privileged districts, five percent for minority people and one percent for people with disability.
Abolishing the existing quota system, the government in 2018 through a circular said direct recruitment in all government jobs in the 9th grade (old first class) and from 10th to 13th grade (old second class) will be completely based on merit.
