“Merit loses when quota wins”: BAU students protest HC order on govt jobs Several hundred students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) today staged a demonstration against the recent High Court order reinstating the quota system in government jobs. Around 500 students gathered in front of the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Mukto Moncho at approximately 12:30 pm, forming a human chain to voice their protest. They chanted slogans such as "The cry of the genius, no more," "Equality of opportunity is the essence of the constitution," "Merit losing to quota must be prevented once again," and "There is no place for discrimination in Bangabandhu's Bangla," UNB reports.
Mehedi Hasan Tanjil, a student of the Veterinary Science department, remarked, "Even after so many years of independence, if new quota discrimination is created, it contradicts the spirit of our Liberation War." He suggested a 5% quota for the freedom fighter category as a special consideration. Noor-E-Hafiza, another student, emphasized that merit should be the primary criterion for first-class jobs in the country.
"If merit is not properly respected, the country will soon become meritless," she stated. Morshedul Islam Mishu, also from the Veterinary Science department, noted that students began seeing progress after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina canceled the quota system in 2018. "However, with the High Court's order on reinstating the quota system, we, the general students, are again faced with the quota sys.