Bangladesh Court Abolishes Most Job Quotas After Deadly Unrest

Bangladesh Supreme Court has abolished most of the job quotas that sparked widespread student protests and violence. The court’s Appellate Division overturned a recent lower court ruling that had reinstated the quotas, which had previously been scrapped by the government in 2018.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin confirmed to AFP that the Bangladesh Supreme Court deemed the High Court’s verdict illegal. The new ruling leaves a reduced quota system in place: 5% of civil service positions will be reserved for the children of war veterans, and 2% for other specific categories.

The reintroduction of quotas by the lower court last month had led to intense protests, resulting in over 100 fatalities and prompting a severe government response. The Supreme Court’s decision marks a significant shift in the ongoing debate over the quota system in Bangladesh’s civil service.

Further details are expected to emerge as the situation develops.