Quota system to go: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told parliament that there would be no quota system in public service recruitment to avoid repeated movements for its reform.
She made the announcement during prime minister’s question hour in the wake of students’ protests across the country for reduction of quota in government jobs to 10 per cent from the existing 56 per cent.
Hasina, however, said that her government would look for ways to provide jobs to disadvantaged people like ethnic minorities and people with needed.
‘Quota system is cancelled to avoid repeated movements and sufferings of general people for the movements,’ she said.
‘If we go for any reform of the quota system, some group might demand further reforms. There will be no demand for reform if there is no quota,’ the prime minister said replying to a supplementary question from ruling Awami League lawmaker Jahangir Kabir Nanak.
She said that repeated movements for reform of quota system disrupted academic activities at universities and life of general people.
Indicating the latest spell of protests, Hasina said, ‘Classes and examinations are suspended at all universities and the common people are suffering from severe traffic congestion due to the protests. Why the common people will suffer time and again? So it is better that there will be no quota.’
The announcement came barley 48 hours after the prime minister at the cabinet meeting on Monday virtually turned down the protesters’ demand for a reform of the quota system.
Once the announcement is implemented, for the first time Bangladesh will have no quota in government jobs since independence.
Bangladesh Public Service Commission sources said that the quota system was introduced by an executive order in 1972 and was amended on several occasions. 
The reserved quota in government jobs was 80 per cent in 1972-1976 and 60 per cent in 1976-1985. In 1985, the quota was reduced to 45 per cent in Class I and II jobs.
In 2012, 1 per cent quota was introduced for the physically challenged people, increasing quota to 46 per cent.
The commission, in its annual reports in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016, recommended that the process of the civil service examinations should be simplified and many seats in quote usually remained vacant.
Currently 56 per cent quota is reserved in government jobs – 30 per cent for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for districts lagging behind, 5 per cent for ethnic minorities and 1 per cent for physically challenged people.
Mentioning that female students also took to the street demanding reform of quota, the prime minister said, ‘As they [women] do not want quota, what is the necessity of it. There is no need of this system. I have done enough for women’s empowerment.’
Condemning vandalism and ‘looting’ at the Dhaka University vice-chancellor’s house, Hasina said that perpetrators must face punishment. She said that intelligences were working to find out the culprits.
‘The students will have to find out who ransacked and looted the VC’s house and where are the looted goods ... those who are involved in it must be brought to the book,’ she said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net