Demonstrators advocating for the abolition of the government job quota system have brought Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection to a standstill on Wednesday.
On afternoon, protesters from Dhaka University marched to Shahbagh, creating significant traffic congestion in the area. At the same time, students from Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway for two hours, demanding the removal of quotas and insisting on merit-based recruitment.
The protest stems from a recent High Court decision on June 5, which overturned the abolishment of quotas in first- and second-class government jobs, reinstating a 30 percent quota for freedom fighters' descendants in grades 9 to 13.
Meanwhile, the students gathered near Jahangirnagar University's central library before moving to the Dairy Gate area of the Dhaka-Aricha highway, where they blocked the road from 3:30 pm onwards. They disbanded their blockade at 4:55 pm, following chants and slogans emphasising fairness in job recruitment.
Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge AFM Syed confirmed the protest, noting the extensive traffic disruption caused by the demonstration.
