Bangladesh's Supreme Court has nullified the majority of government job quotas, a move that has led to student-led protests resulting in at least 114 fatalities across the country, according to local media. The Appellate Division of the court overturned a lower court's decision to re-establish the quotas, stipulating that 93% of government positions will be filled based on merit, without any quotas, as reported. The quota system was initially abolished by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration in 2018, but was later reinstated by the lower court, igniting protests and a government response. The reaction of the protesters to the latest court decision remains uncertain. In anticipation of the Supreme Court's verdict on the quotas, the government had imposed a curfew, which was extended. Military personnel patrolled the streets of Dhaka, the epicenter of the demonstrations that escalated into confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. Internet and text messaging services in Bangladesh have been suspended since Thursday, isolating the country as law enforcement targeted protesters who disregarded a ban on public assemblies. The curfew was extended until 3 pm and was set to remain in effect indefinitely, with a two-hour respite for residents to procure necessities, as reported by local media. The fate of the curfew post-ruling was not immediately clear to Reuters.
![Bangladesh Supreme Court Abolishes Job Quotas Amid Protests Bangladesh Supreme Court Abolishes Job Quotas Amid Protests](https://world-arabia.com/storage/images/news/crops/news-promo/f31jn9QBidgpw8DgR2cSH86e83Odh6jMD1bdKBu7.webp)
Text: Lara Palmer
21.07.2024
Decision to scrap quotas follows student-led protests and government crackdown