Last year on the fourth of July, as Americans across the world were celebrating their independence, a new kind of independence was brewing in Bangladesh.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on July 4, 2024, had decided to uphold the High Court verdict which reinstated the quota system after terming illegal a 2018 government circular that abolished it. The decision was announced around 10:00am.
Previously on June 5 last year, the High Court declared illegal the circular that cancelled the quotas, including those for freedom fighters, in first and second-class government jobs. Consequently, the 30% quota for freedom fighters in government jobs (grades 9 to 13) remained intact (for a few more days).
During the hearing, the Appellate Division told the state representatives that the High Court’s verdict should stay as it is. Once the full verdict is released, they can file a regular appeal which will be heard.
The chief justice was quoted to have commented, “If there is protest, let it be. Why should we change a High Court verdict based on protest on the streets?”
After the news of this decision spread, students had intensified their protests across the country by threatening to bring out processions on college and university campuses and boycott classes and exams, demanding the reinstatement of the government’s 2018 circular.
It also led to various discussions and growing criticisms on social media.
Students of Dhaka University began gathering in front of the Central Library from 11:00am that morning. They blocked the Shahbagh intersection, the beating heart of the city, and stayed there till late evening to halt traffic. The air echoed with students singing patriotic songs, reciting poetry about resistance, and chanting slogans, “Amar shonar banglai, boishommoder thai nai (No place for discriminations in my golden Bangla)”, despite several bouts of pouring rain.
Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University blocked the Agargaon thoroughfare, Jagannath University students also blocked roads near their campus on Chittaranjan Avenue and Ray Saheb Bazar, and students of Jahangirnagar University brought out a procession on campus and then blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
In the south, Cumilla University students blocked the busy Dhaka-Chattogram highway, and hundreds of Chittagong University students blocked the Chattogram-Khagrachhari highway.
Students from Rajshahi and Barisal, and from all over Bangladesh, followed suit.
Fourth of July, as invigorating as it was, however, had only marked the beginning of that fateful monsoon.