Dhaka, Jul 25 (PTI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take responsibility for the families of the people killed in the recent nationwide violent student protest over quotas in government jobs, a top official of the ruling Awami League said on Thursday.
“A committee has been formed for investigation and every culprit will be brought to book,” Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said while addressing a coordination meeting with the ward leaders of the Awami League here.
Bangladesh witnessed violent clashes between the police and mostly student protesters demanding an end to a controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.
The violence claimed dozens of lives, including that of students, with some media tally suggesting the toll to be as high as 184. Earlier this week, the government set up a judicial investigation into the violence with a High Court judge in the chair.
Quader said Prime Minister Hasina will take responsibility for the families of the people killed in the recent nationwide unrest.
Quader, also the transport minister, alleged that the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami carried out the arson, centring the quota reform movement.
They wanted to turn the country into a pile of rubble and dreamt of going to power standing on bodies, Quader was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.
Quader said Awami League will stand beside the families of deceased and injured people.
The government aims to materialise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.
Local media reports suggested that police have so far arrested over 2,500 suspected anarchists.
The apex Appellate Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court earlier on Sunday ordered a massive quota reform, keeping only seven per cent reserve posts instead of the existing 56 per cent.
The 1971 war veterans’ quota will be cut down to 5 per cent and 2 per cent will be reserved for ethnic minorities as well as transgender and disabled people leaving 93 per cent jobs to be merit-based. The government has issued a Gazette notification in line with the order.
The student group leading the demonstrations suspended the protests with one of their leaders saying they had not wanted the reform “at the expense of so much blood.” Prime Minister Hasina on Tuesday defended her decision to enforce a curfew with a shoot-on-sight order following the clashes, asserting that tough measures were taken to ensure the security of the lives and properties of the people. PTI AMS AKJ AMS
About the Author
