Bangladesh Supreme Court Scraps Quota System Amidst Violent Protests

Bangladesh's Supreme Court annulled most quotas in government jobs following nationwide student protests that resulted in 139 deaths. The unrest began after the High Court reinstated the quota system, which was previously abolished in 2018. The Supreme Court's recent decision reserved only a small percentage of jobs for specific groups, while the remaining positions are now based on merit.

On Sunday, Bangladesh's Supreme Court annulled most of the quotas for government jobs, a move that followed nationwide student protests resulting in 139 fatalities.

The demonstrations started when the High Court reinstated a quota system previously abolished by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2018. The Supreme Court later dismissed the High Court's order and directed that 93% of government jobs should be merit-based.

The students' protests intensified after Hasina refused to meet their demands and referred to them using a derogatory term. Experts attribute the unrest to high youth unemployment and stagnant job growth in the private sector, which makes public sector jobs highly sought after.