- Bangladesh’s Supreme Court scales back controversial government job quota system, which triggered deadly nationwide unrest last week.
- Streets calm after ruling but student leaders vow to press on with demonstrations until key demands are met, including the release of those jailed, and officials responsible for the violence resign.
- Protesters have been demanding abolition of 30 percent quota for the 1971 liberation war veterans. Court ruling says 93 percent of jobs should be on merit allowing only 5 percent reservation for relatives of freedom fighters and 2 percent for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled people.
- Demonstrations began after High Court reinstated controversial quota system last month, which turned violent last week after governing party workers attacked protesting students.
Home minister blames political rivals for deadly violence
Police have arrested several members of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Students Against Discrimination, the main protest organising group.
Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP news agency the curfew imposed on Saturday will continue “until the situation improves”.
He said in addition to the torching of government buildings and police posts by protesters, arson attacks left Dhaka’s metro rail network inoperable.
“They are carrying out destructive activities targeting the government,” Khan said, blaming the BNP and the Islamist party Jamaat for stoking the violence.
Judicial inquiry into deadly violence under way: Lawmaker
Selim Altaf George, a Bangladeshi parliamentarian with the governing Awami League party, says “miscreants and other political parties” joined the student-led protests and were responsible for the violent “chaos” that killed more than 100 people and wounded thousands.
“They are doing all this vandalism and terrorism,” said Altaf George.
He told Al Jazeera the government of Bangladesh is not defending security forces who opened fire with live ammunition at demonstrators, adding there will be a judicial inquiry and a report will be issued within 30 days.
“For us now, the most important thing is to secure the country and keep the people secure,” said Altaf George.
Two key demands: Free jailed protesters and officials resign
Student leaders say they will not back down from protesting.
“They have said they will keep demonstrating until key demands are met,” said Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Dhaka.
These include freeing all opposition leaders and students – including a top leader reportedly abducted by the police – who have been detained over the past weeks, Chowdhury said.
The students are also demanding that Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the Bangladesh’s ruling party Secretary-General Obaidul Quader resign as they are seen as responsible for instigating the brutal crackdown against the protesters, he said.
Students Against Discrimination on court ruling
A representative of Students Against Discrimination, the main group responsible for organising the protests, has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision.
“But we won’t call off our protests until the government issues an order reflecting our demands,” he told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Army deployed throughout Dhaka
A Reuters witness says army teams were deployed throughout the capital Dhaka and that streets near the Supreme Court were quiet immediately after the decision.
A military tank was stationed outside the Supreme Court gate, television footage showed.
Local media had reported scattered clashes earlier in the day between protesters and security forces.
Soldiers were on patrol on the streets of capital Dhaka, the centre of the demonstrations that spiralled into clashes.
Internet and text message services in Bangladesh have been suspended since Thursday, cutting the nation off as police cracked down on protesters who defied a ban on public gatherings.
Muted reaction to court ruling with stay-at-home order in place
It’s not immediately clear how the protesters will react to the decision. Before the Supreme Court hearing, soldiers patrolled cities across the country.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said a stay-at-home order will be relaxed from 3pm (09:00 GMT) to 5pm (11:00 GMT) for people to run essential errands. The government declared Sunday and Monday as public holidays with only emergency services allowed to operate.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has backed the protests, promising to organise demonstrations as many of its supporters have joined the students. However, the BNP said in a statement its followers were not responsible for the violence and denied the governing party’s accusations of using the protests for political gain.
