Bangladesh top court orders government to cut public jobs quota to 7%

By Faisal Mahmud and Riyaz ul Khaliq

DHAKA, Bangladesh / ISTANBUL (AA) — Bangladesh's Supreme Court directed the government on Sunday to reduce a quota in public-sector jobs to 7%, a major cut from the previous 56%, according to Anadolu correspondent in Dhaka.

The reduced quota includes 5% allocated to the family members of those who fought in the country's independence war from Pakistan in 1971, while 1% each will be reserved for women and minorities.

The ruling came after the government of embattled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approached the top court amid violent student demonstrations.

Hospital sources told Anadolu in Dhaka that the death toll had climbed to 131 as of Sunday morning, with thousands injured in the fighting across the South Asian country.

Broadband and mobile internet has been severed nationwide since Thursday, cutting Bangladesh off from the outside world.

Curfew measures have been extended until further notice.

Protests surged this week against the 56% quota system, with the government closing educational institutions in response to the unrest.

Thirty percent of the 56% quota in public jobs were reserved for the relatives of independence war veterans.