The anti-discrimination student movement leaders on July 9 last year declared a daylong blockade programme scheduled for July 10 to press home their one-point demand of reforming the quota in government jobs bringing down it up to five percent for backward section people.
Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, announced the programme at a press conference in front of Dhaka University (DU) Central Library around 6.30pm.
“The blockade will start at 10am and it will continue until sunsets on Wednesday (July 10). Both roads and railways will come under the ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme,” he told journalists.
Students from across the country were urged to join the “Bangla Blockade” programme on the following day.
Nahid, now National Citizen Party (NCP) chief, said the central demonstration would take place at Dhaka University and Shahbagh.
Before announcing the new programme, the student protesters observed strikes in the educational institutions across the country, boycotting classes and exams on July 9, and carried out online and offline mass outreach campaigns.
Earlier, on July 8, Nahid said they would carry out online and offline mass outreach campaigns on July 9 while they would resume their nationwide ‘Bangla Blockade’ on July 10 with stiff programmes.
Meanwhile, on this day on July 9, 2024 two Dhaka University students filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order issued on June 5 that effectively reinstated quotas in government jobs.
However, the protesters under the banner of anti-discrimination student movement clarified that those who filed the appeal were not representing movement.
That day, the then Law Minister Anisul Huq commented, “The quota system is now a matter of the apex court, not a policy issue of the government. Street protests would find no result.”
Besides, Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader instructed his party leaders and activists across the country to remain vigilant regarding the student protests.