On the morning of July 4, 2025, for the fourth consecutive day, the nation awoke to an atmosphere of rising tension as a six-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by former chief justice Obaiedul Hassan passed the order that 30 percent quota system restored for the freedom fighters' children in ninth to 13th grades of government jobs till further order. Additionally, the apex court asked the government to file a leave to appeal petition with this court.
A surge of protests by students at public universities and government job seekers spilt in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh continued their protest after the HC verdict hearing.
Hundreds of students blocked the capital's Shahbagh intersection and major highways, including Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Chattogram, Chattogram-Khagrachari, Dhaka-Barisal and Dhaka-Rajshahi.
The protesting students on Thursday (July 4, 2024) announced to boycott of classes and exams from Saturday (July 6, 2024) in all universities and colleges across the country until the quota system in government jobs is abolished.
Protesters said that the spirit of the Liberation War is opposed to discrimination in society, as Freedom Fighters sacrificed their lives to remove discrimination done by the rulers of the then-West Pakistan.
The coordinator of ADSM, Nahid Islam, announced a sit-in programme on July 4, 2024, morning in front of DU Central Library.
Nahid requested students from all the universities in the country to hold demonstrations on their respective campuses at the same time under the same banner.
Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) member Sarjis Alam said, "Our Freedom Fighters did not sacrifice their lives to create extra advantages for their children and grandchildren. They stood for equality in the country. They fearlessly fought to end injustice and discrimination in all forms."
Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were on high alert to prevent DU students from joining a protest when DU students staged a rally in front of the Central Library demanding the reinstatement of the government's 2018 circular that abolished the quota system in public service.
The public university teachers' and officials' strikes were also continuing against the universal pension scheme "Prottoy" as it crippled academic activities across the country.
In that situation, former Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader called the protesting teacher leaders led by Bangladesh University Teachers Association Secretary General and Dhaka University Teachers Association President Prof Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, to a meeting on Thursday (4 July 2024) to discuss their demands. Following the development, the teacher leaders announced that to would continue their movement and discussion together.
On July 4, 2024, no attacks, arrests, or arson incidents were reported, but Dhaka's streets were far from calm as the nation anxiously awaited the public's reaction to the SC's reinstatement of the order. All eyes turned to what the next day might bring.
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