Bangladesh’s top court scales back government jobs quota after deadly unrest that killed scores

(21 Jul 2024)

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4507423, 4507422

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dhaka, Bangladesh - 18 July 2024
1. Protesters throwing objects towards police
2. Wide of protesters and fire in street UPSOUND bang
3. Wide of protesters throwing objects
4. Various of police, some officers firing rubber bullets, tear gas and using anti-riot vehicle
5. Various of protesters running and beating ruling party activists
6. Zoom in on protesters chasing and beating police

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dhaka, Bangladesh – 20 July 2024
7. Various of military personnel talking with protesters and ushering them back while protesters resist
8. Wide of police guarding street, smoke rising
9. Wide of bus on fire
STORYLINE:
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to scatter stone-throwing protesters who filled the streets in Bangladesh, demonstrating over a controversial quota system for government job applicants.

Students, frustrated by shortages of good jobs, have been demanding an end to a quota that reserved 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.

The government previously halted it in 2018 following mass student protests, but in June, Bangladesh’s High Court reinstated the quotas and set off a new round of protests.

The protests turned deadly on Tuesday, a day after students at Dhaka University began clashing with police.

Violence continued to escalate as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades to scatter stone-throwing protesters.

Bangladeshi authorities haven’t shared any official numbers of those killed and injured, but at least four local newspapers on Sunday reported that over 100 people have been killed.

Bangladesh’s top court on Sunday scaled back the quota system after it led to the nationwide unrest and deadly clashes between police and protesters.

Ruling on an appeal, the Supreme Court ordered that the veterans’ quota be cut to 5%, with 93% of jobs to be allocated on merit. The remaining 2% will be set aside for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled people.

Ahead of the court's hearing on Sunday, soldiers patrolled cities across the South Asian country, while a nationwide curfew and an internet blackout continued to remain in force.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the curfew will be relaxed from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday for people to run essential errands.

AP video shot by Al Emrun Garjon.

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