Bangladesh's highest court scales back government job quotas

Bangladesh’s top court on Sunday scaled back a controversial quota system for government jobs after it led to deadly nationwide unrest.

At least 100 people are believed to have died in the violence as the government imposed a communications blackout and protesters clashed with security forces.

In its verdict, the Supreme Court ordered 93 per cent of government jobs to be allocated on a merit basis.

This leaves the remaining 7 per cent earmarked for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence and other categories.

Earlier, the system reserved 30 per cent of such jobs for the relatives of war veterans.

Sunday's verdict comes after weeks of demonstrations, mostly led by students, that turned deadly on Tuesday after protesters began clashing with police.

Frustrated by the lack of job opportunities after graduation, students argued that the quota system was discriminatory.

Ahead of the court's hearing, soldiers patrolled cities across the South Asian country, while a nationwide curfew and an internet blackout continued to remain in force.

Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, said the curfew will be relaxed from 15h to 17h on Sunday for people to run essential errands.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has declared Sunday and Monday  public holidays, with only emergency services allowed to operate.

The chaos is the biggest challenge to the prime minister since she won a fourth term in office in January elections which were boycotted by the main opposition groups.

Protesters argue the quotas benefit supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement.

Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions in the war against Pakistan, regardless of their political affiliation.