Students block Dhaka-Barishal highway, demand cancellation of quota system

Vehicular traffic on the Dhaka-Barishal highway has been suspended since noon as students of Barishal University have erected barricades, demanding cancellation of the quota system for freedom fighters in government jobs.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the highway, causing immense suffering to road users.

Abdur Rahman Mukul, in-charge of Barishal Port Police Station, reported that students began protesting near the main gate of the university around 12:30 pm. They demanded removal of all quotas in government jobs, except for those for the disabled and those from underdeveloped districts.

During the blockade, students expressed their concerns, saying that no discrimination will be tolerated under the quota system. They stressed the need for measures to ensure that people with disabilities and those from underdeveloped districts can benefit from the quota opportunity once, so as to prevent ordinary students from being deprived of the jobs they want.