The majority of the government employment quotas that had prompted student-led protests in Bangladesh, where at least 114 people have died, were eliminated by the Supreme Court on Sunday, according to local media.
According to the sources, the Appellate Division of the court overturned a previous court judgment that had reinstated the quotas, ordering that 93% of government employment be awarded to candidates based alone on merit.
The quota system was eliminated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration in 2018, but it was reinstated by a lower court last month, which sparked protests and a subsequent government crackdown.
It was unclear right away how the demonstrators would respond to the ruling.
As officials prepared for the Supreme Court hearing on job quotas, the government had imposed a curfew. In the heart of the protests that turned into altercations between demonstrators and security personnel, soldiers were on patrol through the streets of the city, Dhaka.
Since Thursday, Bangladesh’s internet and text message services have been unavailable, cutting off the country while authorities crack down on demonstrators who disobeyed a ban on public meetings.
According to local media, the curfew was extended to 3 p.m. (0900 GMT) and was to last for a “uncertain time” after a two-hour reprieve for people to obtain supplies.
