QUOTA REFORM Protesters give a week to withdraw cases [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

QUOTA REFORM Protesters give a week to withdraw cases

Local April 19, 2018

Protesters for reduction of quota in public service recruitment on Wednesday extended for seven more days their ultimatum to the authorities to withdraw all cases filed against unnamed protesters or to face tougher protests.
Earlier on Monday, they issued a 48-hour ultimatum.
Protesting students’ platform Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad joint convenors Nurul Haq Noor, Faruk Hossain and Rashed Khan at a press conference in front
of Dhaka University central library said that the leaders and activists of the protests were now getting death threats over phone and on social media.
‘We are receiving death threats and being followed...frightened convener of the platform Hasan Al Mamun could not be present at the briefing on security concern,’ said Nurul Haq, also post-graduation student of English.
‘You have seen how protesters were picked up blindfolded from in front of Dhaka Medical College,’ Nurul Haq said.
‘I think, they released us as the matter spread fast and media made news, otherwise we could become victims of enforced disappearance,’ he said.
He, however, said that no intimidation, detention and threats would be able to derail the protesters from their movement.
He demanded security for all protesters.
Nurul Haq told New Age that they were getting threats from various foreign phone numbers also.
‘We are also getting threats from different Facebook groups’ he said.
‘Many of us are frightened and have turned their cell phone off,’ said another joint convener of the platform.
A number of protesters alleged that ruling Awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League Dhaka University unit president Abid Al Hasan and general secretary Motahar Hossain Prince tried to intimidate protesters by their presence just in 10 yards during the briefing.
Motahar, however, said that they went to library for study like any other day but ‘not to terrorise anyone.’
The protesters took to the street on April 8 and postponed the protests on April 12 until publication of a gazette notification on prime minister’s announcement of scrapping of quota system.
As the protests intensified with the joining of private university students and even college and in some cases school students, prime minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 told parliament that there would be no quota system in public service recruitment to avoid repeated movements for its reform.
The protesters have been on the streets since February for five-point demands, including reduction of quota in public service recruitment to 10 per cent from the existing 56, recruitment in vacant posts on the basis of merit if eligible candidates were not found under the quota, an end to special recruitment tests for quota candidates and a single age limit for all jobseekers.
Protesters on April 12, while calling off their protests also demanded unconditional release of arrested protesters, withdrawal of cases filed against them, proper treatment of injured ones and no harassment of protesting students.
Dhaka University authorities and the police filed five cases against unnamed protesters on charge of violence during protests and vandalism at vice-chancellor’s house.
Two hours after issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for withdrawal of the cases, joint conveners of the platform Nurul Haq Noor, Faruk Hossain and Rashed Khan were picked up by detectives at about 1:20pm from in front of Dhaka Medical College and were released at about 2:30pm.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Nurul Haq said that they extended their ultimatum for seven days as part of their support to authorities in identifying perpetrators of the attack on vice-chancellor’s house.
‘We are giving seven days to find out main culprits and bring them to book or we will boycott exams and classes,’ Nurul said.
‘Anyone can be implicated in cases filed against unnamed people,’ he said.
Abu Bakar Siddik a third year student of Dhaka University Bangla department, who sustained injures during protests, said at another press conference in front of Dhaka University central library that a third group taking advantages of violence during protests attacked the vice-chancellor’s house.
‘A third group tried to take advantage by spreading rumour that I had died,’ he said at the press conference organised by university unit Chhatra League general secretary Motahar Hossain Prince.