Bangladesh supreme court cuts job quotas after deadly protest
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday rolled back some of the quotas on government jobs which sparked huge protests, Reuters reported, citing local media.
CNN reports that in 2018, the civil service quota system – which reserved more than half of civil service posts for certain groups – was scrapped following similar protests but in June the High Court reinstated it, ruling its removal unconstitutional. On July 10, the Supreme Court suspended the quotas for one month while it took up the case.
On Sunday, the country’s top court dismissed the earlier ruling that brought back the quotas, directing that 93 per cent of government jobs will be open to candidates on merit, without quotas, Reuters reported citing local media.
Dozens of people have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured in the violence which saw demonstrators gather on streets and university campuses in the capital Dhaka and other cities.
Bangladesh bans rallies after internet blackout, buildings razed
Ahead of the ruling, Bangladesh on Sunday extended a curfew imposed on Friday to try to quell the violence and deployed soldiers to patrol the streets of the capital Dhaka, according to Reuters.
According to local media, the curfew was extended until after the Supreme Court hearing and will continue for an “uncertain time” following a two-hour break for people to gather supplies, Reuters reported.
CNN has tried to reach the prime minister’s office, home affairs ministry, and police, but mobile and internet services appear to remain mostly down across the country after a government-imposed blackout.
As of Saturday, internet monitoring site NetBlocks said activity had remained at around 10 per cent for more than 48 hours since services were cut Thursday.
