On Sunday, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court overturned most quotas for government jobs following nationwide protests led by students, which escalated into clashes resulting in at least 139 deaths. Despite the ruling, some protest organizers have vowed to continue their demonstrations.
The Supreme Court’s appellate division dismissed a lower court’s decision and directed that 93% of government positions should be filled based on merit, according to Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin.
The student group, Students Against Discrimination, which sparked the protests over civil service hiring rules, stated that it would persist with demonstrations until the government issues an order fully aligning with their demands.
“We won’t end our protests until the government issues an order that reflects our demands,” a spokesman for the group told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Student groups have criticized the ruling as unclear, and Dhaka remains under an indefinite curfew.
There was no immediate response from those affected by the reduced quotas following the verdict.
The recent unrest followed earlier violent protests related to January’s national elections and by garment workers demanding higher wages amid high inflation. The Attorney General noted that students had consistently denied involvement in the violence and arson, hoping that normalcy would return after the ruling and that provocateurs would cease their actions.
Internet and text messaging services have been suspended in Bangladesh since Thursday, with security forces cracking down on protesters defying a ban on public gatherings.
India reported that over 4,500 students had returned home in recent days, along with 500 Nepalese students and 38 from Bhutan.
Protests are set to continue, with at least four protest coordinators telling BBC Bangla they plan to persist until detained student leaders are released and internet services are restored.
“The Supreme Court’s judgment seems unclear to us. There is no definitive resolution for all types of quotas,” said Abdul Quader, one of the coordinators.
Soldiers have been patrolling Dhaka since a curfew was imposed late on Friday. A tank was stationed outside the Supreme Court gates during the hearing as Dhaka remains under indefinite curfew. Universities and colleges have been closed since Wednesday.