BCL activists yesterday allegedly tried to bar quota reformists from holding their scheduled programme on the Dhaka University campus in demand for immediate publication of a gazette notification on quota reform in public service.

The members of the pro-Awami League student body occupied the programme venue in front the DU central library in advance and held a “counter programme” there, hailing a government body's recommendations on the quota system.

On Monday, a seven-member government committee recommended abolishing the quota system for class-I and class-II jobs in civil service.

The same day, Bangladesh Shadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, a platform of quota reformists, announced that it would hold a rally in front of the DU central library at 11:00am on Tuesday as part of its countrywide protest.

Under the platform's banner, several hundred students brought out a procession from Doyel Chattar around 11:00am, and marched towards the DU central library.

But when they reached there, they found the venue had already been occupied by a group of BCL activists.

They then started chanting slogans in support of their three-point demand, including immediate publication of a gazette notification on quota reform.

The other two demands include withdrawal of all cases against quota reformists and punishment of those who attacked students during the protests for quota reform and road safety.

At that time, the BCL activists chanted slogans “Awami League-led government is needed again and again”. They also welcomed the government body's recommendations.

The quota reformists then left the place and moved towards the public library at Shahbagh. But the BCL activists started following them.

The protesters then went to Raju memorial sculpture but found that some BCL activists had already taken position at the foot of the sculpture under the banner of “General Students.”

Finding no suitable place to hold a rally, the protestors paraded through the campus.

Later, the quota reformists gathered at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla and held a brief rally there.

Speaking there, Nurul Haque Nur, a joint convener of the platform, said they protested against the entire quota system in public service, not just the quota in class-I and class-II jobs.

“Publish a gazette notification immediately, otherwise we will go for tougher agitation in consultation with different student organisations.”

He also demanded cancellation of the circular for 40th BCS examinations.

Moshiur Rahman, another joint convener of the platform, said, “We have been staging peaceful demonstrations from the beginning. But we came under attack and were tortured in the name of remand.”

He further said their movement cannot be stopped by threats or filing of cases, and that they would continue the movement until their demands are met.

Hasan Al Mamun, convener of the platform, said they are considering the recommendations positively but the quota system in class-III and class-IV jobs should also be reformed in line with their five-point demands.

Talking to this newspaper, Nurul Haque Nur alleged that the BCL had taken position in advance at the venue where they were supposed to hold a rally.

“Because of this, we had to keep looking for a place to hold a rally,” he claimed.

Contacted, Saddam Hussain, general secretary of BCL's DU unit, said BCL activists did not prevent quota reformists from holding any programme on the campus.

He further said the DU BCL unit didn't hold any programme on the campus at that time.

“General students can organise any programme on the campus if they want,” he added.

In April, students of public and private universities across the country took to the streets, demanding reforms in the quota system. They blocked key points in the capital and barricaded roads and highways elsewhere.

In the wake of protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 announced in parliament that the quota system would be scrapped.

On July 2, the government formed a seven-member committee to “review, reform or cancel” the quota system and asked it to submit a report within 15 working days.

The committee on July 19 was given 90 more working days to complete the task as it could not finish collecting information on the quota system.

However, referring to a High Court order, the PM on July 12 said it was not possible to reform the freedom fighters' quota.

At present, about 56 percent of government jobs are reserved for candidates under various quotas.

Of the 56 percent, 30 percent are for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for people of underdeveloped districts, five percent for members of indigenous communities and one percent for physically challenged people.