Bangladesh Revises Nomination Law After Protests and Over 100 Deaths

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has decided to cancel most quotas for government jobs following protests sparked by students that have roiled the country for more than a week now.

According to the protesters, the quota system for access to government jobs favored groups that supported Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (who has led the country since 2009), and the demand was for a system that was, on the contrary, meritocratic. It is now established that 93% of government jobs are open to applicants on merit, without quotas. 5% of the jobs will remain for children of War of Independence veterans and 2% for other categories. Previously, it was proposed that 30% of the seats would be allocated on a quota basis.

In view of the Supreme Court ruling, a curfew was declared, and internet and text messaging services were suspended as of July 18, isolating the country and effectively cutting off nearly 170 million people from communication, as police cracked down on protesters who violated the ban on gathering in public places. At least 114 people were killed in the protests, and after a ruling that granted the protesters’ demands, the Supreme Court invited the students to return to school.