Calling the agitating students to go back to classrooms, ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said that the quota system reform issue in government jobs would be resolved through the Supreme Court hearing in the first week of August.
The AL general secretary鈥檚 remarks came amid the spread of the countrywide student movement, taking hold of the public universities in particular, against a High Court verdict restoring 30 per cent quota for freedom fighters鈥� children and grandchildren and Wednesday鈥檚 Appellate Division order staying the High Court decision for four weeks.
鈥業 urge the students to return to their classes by accepting the directives of the highest court and stop their programmes causing public sufferings,鈥� said Quader while addressing a press conference at the AL president鈥檚 political office in the capital鈥檚 Dhanmondi.
鈥楾he court鈥檚 decision is final.聽 I hope the court will take a realistic decision,鈥� said Quader, also the road, transport and bridges minister.
The Appellate Division on Wednesday asked the government not to implement the High Court verdict on freedom fighters鈥� quota in government jobs for four weeks.
Asking the agitating students to return to classrooms, the court also said that they might appoint lawyers if they wished to the quota case, now pending with the Appellate Division.
The High Court on June 5 ordered the government to restore 30 per cent quota for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters in its recruitments for various cadre services.
On October 4, 2018, the government issued a circular abolishing all 56 per cent quotas鈥�30 per cent for freedom fighters鈥� descendants; 10 per cent for women; 10 per cent for people from underdeveloped districts; 5 per cent for ethnic communities; and one per cent for physically challenged people鈥攊n the civil service following student protests.
Obaidul Quader further said, 鈥極ur stance was very clear: we don鈥檛 stand on the side of quota. Now, our stance is, we respect the Supreme Court. Their decision will be final鈥︹�� he said.
About the teachers鈥� movement in the public universities against the new pension system, Quader said that the government was also in touch with the teachers and that this problem would also be solved soon.
