No more talks on quota scrapping: Hasina

Prime minister Shiekh Hasina on Wednesday said that there was no need of movement and talks for reduction of quota in public service recruitment as she had scrapped quota system following protests of students and jobseekers.
At a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban on her recent visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Australia, she said that the government was in talks with the British government to bring back Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman from the United Kingdom.
She also said that leaders of different countries assured her of staying beside Bangladesh to settle Rohingya crisis.
Hasina visited Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in April 15-23 while Australia in April 26-29. 
She received Global Women’s Leadership Award of the US-based Global Summit of Women in Sydney on April 27.
‘Whether the quota [in public service recruitment] would exist or not it is fully a matter of government and students have no relation with that matter,’ Hasina said replying to a query about the latest situation of her announcement of scrapping quota system.
‘I scrapped the quota system as they [protesters] made the demand during the movement. Why there are so many talks [about quota system] again now? They made the demand and I cancelled the system, what is the need of movement now’ said the prime minister.
Protesters for reduction of quota in government jobs on April 26 threatened to go for fresh protests if the government failed to publish a gazette notification on prime minister’s announcement of abolition of quota system by April.
The protesters, on movement since February for five-point demands, including reduction of quota to 10 per cent from the existing 56, postponed the protests on April 12 until the publication of a gazette notification on Hasina’s announcement.
She said that government introduced quota system in 1972 to pave way for freedom fighters and people of backward districts to get government jobs. 
‘I will tolerate no humiliating word towards freedom fighters,’ she warned.
The government is fulfilling the vacant positions of quota in public service from merit list if no suitable candidate from quota beneficiaries is available, Hasina said.
Replying to another query, the prime minister said that the government was trying to bring back Tarique Rahman from the United Kingdom as he was a ‘convicted fugitive.’ 
She said, ‘We are in talks with the British government on it. BNP has made a convicted person its chairperson, proving political bankruptcy of the party.’ 
Tarique left Bangladesh for London in September 2008 for treatment.
State minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam on April 23 alleged that Tarique Rahman had deposited his passport to the British authorities to give up his Bangladeshi citizenship.
Shahriar and other Awami League leaders argued that Tarique was no more a citizen of Bangladesh as he surrendered his passport to British authorities.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on April 24 disclosed that Tarique deposited his Bangladesh passport to British home office to get ‘political asylum.’
Replying to a query on BNP’s demand that they would not participate in the next general election without BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, the prime minister said that it was an internal matter of a party to contest an election or not.
‘We cannot bring them to election requesting them...we have done a lot of development and people will decide who will form the next government,’ she added.
About Rohingya crisis and their repatriation, Hasina said that a strong UN Security Council team visited Bangladesh, they were positive and also wanted that Rohingyas should return to their homeland.
She said that the government would be able to face possible pressure on economy for sheltering Rohingyas.
Bangladesh will get involved in no war centring Middle East crisis, the prime minister said on her participation in a military drill in Saudi Arabia. She said that she visited Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Saudi King.
‘We have told them that we will not get involved in war...we would rather help them in some sectors other than warfront,’ she said.
On Chhatra League’s committee, the prime minister said that it would be formed through consensus and if there is no consensus there will be an election.
Hasina dedicated her Global Women’s Leadership Award to the women in Bangladesh and across the world.
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, also the ruling Awami League general secretary, finance minister AMA Muhith, foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and information minister Hasanul Haque Inu were present on the dais.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net