Quota reform leader Tariqul remanded

A Dhaka court today placed Tariqul Hassan, a leader of quota reform movement, on a one-day remand in a case filed over assaulting police and vandalising vehicles on April 9.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Kaisarul Islam passed the order after inspector of Detective Branch of police Taha Uddin Faruki, also the investigation officer of the case, produced Tariqul before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.

On the other hand, Tariqul's lawyer submitted a petition seeking bail along with cancellation of the remand prayer.

After hearing both the sides the magistrate rejected the bail petition and placed Tariqul on remand.

On July 2, a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) members beat up Tarikul on the premises of Dhaka University Central Library and handed him over to police.

In February, students of different public universities and jobseekers under the banner of "Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad" launched a movement demanding quota reforms in the civil service.

On April 11, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament spoke of abolishing all types of quotas in public jobs.

As no gazette notification was issued in this regard, the protesters started preparing for fresh programmes. But they were attacked on the DU and RU campuses.

On July 2, the government formed a seven-member committee “to review or reform or cancel” the quota system for the civil service.