Bangladesh's top court scraps government jobs quota after deadly protests

DHAKA: After 114 people killed after the nation plunged into chaos after deadly clashes between police and protesters Bangladesh's top court on Sunday scrapped the controversial quota system for government jobs.

The court dismissed a lower court order that had reinstated the controversial quota system that reserved up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971.

Though the controversial quota system was scrapped by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in 2018, the lower court reinstated it last month, sparking the protests and ensuring a government crackdown.

After this announcement, students took to the streets and clashed with the police which fired tear gas and rubber bullets and hurled smoke grenades towards them.

The top court on Sunday directed that 93% of government jobs should be open to candidates on merit, without quotas. Of the remaining 7 per cent, 5 per cent will be set aside for the relatives of veterans who fought in the war, one per cent is reserved for tribal communities, and another one per cent for people with disabilities or identifying as third gender.

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