Students have begun protesting on major campuses of Dhaka against a High Court verdict that restored the quota system in government jobs.

Under the banner of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, a group of students brought out a procession from Dhaka University’s central library to the Raju Memorial sculpture at around 11am on Monday.

Nahid Islam, coordinator of the movement, announced a three-day programme during the rally.

They will march from the same spot at 2:30pm on Tuesday.

Nahid urged students from all universities and colleges nationwide to demonstrate simultaneously.

On Jul 3 and 4, students from Jagannath University, seven government colleges affiliated with Dhaka University, and other institutions under the National University in Dhaka will assemble at Raju sculpture.

Classes and examinations in all universities and colleges will be boycotted until Jul 4.

Nahid emphasised, "There must be legal assurances by Jul 4 to ensure a definitive decision on the quota system."

Nahid also expressed solidarity with the teachers' movement protesting the transfer of their pension to the universal scheme.

At Jahangirnagar University, the protesters blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway.

The protest began with a rally at the university's Shaheed Minar at 11am on Monday, followed by a procession that blocked the highway outside the main gate. The blockade lasted for 10 minutes before the students dispersed.

University Proctor Prof Alamgir Kabir said he had requested the students to leave the road and show tolerance because many people were suffering.

The students' demands include the abolition of the quota system in government jobs, which was announced in 2018 after intense protests, and the retention of merit-based recruitment circulars.

They also call for the swift formation of a commission to eliminate “unreasonable and discriminatory” quotas in all grades of government jobs, ensuring that only marginal groups are considered for quota as per the constitution.

They also demand the quota facility cannot be used more than once in government job recruitment exams, and any vacant positions previously held by a person from a quota should be filled on the basis of merit.

Lastly, they seek effective measures to ensure a corruption-free, impartial, and merit-based bureaucracy.

Arif Sohail, a student of the international relations department, said the quota for freedom fighters’ descendants makes it look like that they fought for such ‘benefits’, not for independence – which is a wrong idea.

“They did not fight for material gain, and we find this quota system humiliating for them. Our struggle will continue until we achieve our goals," Arif said.

"We hope that the verdict will come in line with our demand in the Appellate Division on Jul 4. Otherwise, we will launch fresh protests.”

On Oct 4, 2018, in the face of a student movement, the government issued a circular cancelling the 10 percent women quota, the 30 percent freedom fighter quota and the 10 percent district quota for government jobs.

According to the circular issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, the existing quota system for direct recruitment to the posts of ninth grade (previously first class) and 10th to 13th grades (previously second class) was scrapped in favour of a merit-based system.

However, the circular stated that though the quota system for the first and second-class jobs was abolished, the quotas will remain in place for third and fourth-class posts.

Seven people, including Wahidul Islam – the son of a freedom fighter - filed a writ petition in the High Court in 2021 challenging the validity of that circular.

After the final hearing, the High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the decision to scrap the quota system illegal. The state applied to the Appellate Division to suspend the decision.

Students then protested at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University and other places across the country over the High Court’s decision.