BCS job seekers on Saturday said they will enforce a student strike in all public universities and colleges across the country for Sunday, demanding cancellation of the quota system in all competitive examinations, including Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS).
Shahin Alam, on behalf of the job seekers under the banner of ‘Medha Mulayan Manch’, at a press briefing at the office of Dhaka University Journalist Association (DUJA) said they will boycott their classes on Sunday.
They also demanded unconditional release of the detained 42 students and the withdrawal of the two cases filed against them by Dhaka University authorities and police respectively.
They threatened to wage a tougher programme if their demands are not met by tomorrow (Sunday).
They also demanded exemplary punishment of the BCL men who attacked the peaceful programme of the BCS job seekers.
Earlier in the day, the students of major universities across the country staged demonstrations to press for their demand.
In capital Dhaka, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists foiled a gathering of the protesters at Central Library of Dhaka University making attacks on the agitating students.
Campus sources said the students gathered at the Central Library to hold their prescheduled programme.
But the BCL men, led by its DU unit president Omar Sharif, launched an attack on the agitating students, leaving six people injured.
Meanwhile, around 200 students brought out a procession on the university campus demanding that the quota system in the government job be continued.
Our Jahangirnagar University correspondent says: BCL activists forced the students who were preparing for staging a demonstration to call their programme off.
Witnesses said some students brought out a procession under the banner of Sadharan Sikkharthi from the central Shaheed Minar on the campus around 11.00am.
However, the BCL men, led by the unit president and the secretary, attacked the procession.
Rajshahi University students also blocked Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway for about half an hour in the morning demanding cancellation of the quota system. They also brought out a procession inside the campus and held a brief rally there.
While addressing the rally, the agitating students demanded immediate cancellation of quota system in recruitment to all government jobs, including the BCS ones.
They also demanded the reassessment of the results of the 34th BCS preliminary test threatening to continue their movement until their demand is met.
UNB correspondent reports: The students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) staged demonstrations on the campus to press home their demand.
The speakers termed the quota system in government jobs an ‘injustice’ to meritorious job seekers.
The students of different universities also staged demonstrations against the quota system on Wednesday.
In the face of the movement by the students from different educational institutions, including Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Dhaka College and Eden College against the public service quota system at Shahbagh intersection, Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) said it would review the 34th BCS preliminary test results.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Saturday said the reviewed results of the 34th BCS preliminary test will be published on Sunday.
The results of the 34th BCS preliminary examination were published on Monday by following the quota system which was earlier followed after the viva examination. The unsuccessful students reacted sharply to the decision and launched an instant movement demanding cancellation of the quota system.
Only 12,033 candidates, out of 225,575, have qualified for the PSC’s examinations.
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