Students at Jahangirnagar University (JU) have demonstrated for a second consecutive day protesting against the High Court recent reinstatement of the quota system in the civil service.
They staged demonstrations by forming a human chain along the road beside Shahid Minar on the campus around 4pm on Friday.
An anthropology student, Meher Afroz Shaoli said, “The quota system primarily aims to uplift the underprivileged segments of society, including tribals, women, and marginalised communities.
“However, the extensive use of freedom fighter quotas could lead to societal divisions and increased oppression of the general population.”
An international relations student, Arif Sohel said, “We want an end to this discriminatory system. Worldwide, quotas are reserved for backward communities.
The historic Six-Point Day, marking the demand for autonomy for the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, was observed on Friday across the country in a befitting manner.
Pakistan Embassy of Bangladesh organised the event at their office premises on Friday.
Pakistan Ambassador of Bangladesh Ruhul Amin Siddique was present as chief guest in the event.
Among others, embassy high officials were present.
On June 7 in 1966, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman launched a massive movement against the misrule of the Pakistanis on the basis of the Six-Point Demand, the Magna Carta of the Bengalis, demanding autonomy for the then East Pakistan.
Bangladesh foreign currency reserves declined by $50.78 million in a week to hit $18.67 billion on June 5.
The reserves stood at $18.72 billion on May 29, as per the latest data from the Bangladesh Bank.
The forex figure was calculated based on the balance of payments and investment position manual of the International Monetary Fund.
The government in its proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year estimated that the forex reserves will hit $32 billion at the end of 2024-25 fiscal year and further rise to $35.1 billion in 2025-26 fiscal year.
However, experts said it is very difficult for the forex to hit $32 billion in the next fiscal year.
Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali today affirmed the nation that inflation, which turned out to be one of the major challenges for the government, would come down in the coming days due to the steps and measures taken by the government.
He also expressed his high optimism of attaining the targeted 6.75 percent growth in the next fiscal year (FY25).
"We have taken all the necessary measures for controlling inflation and we were also considering what kind of steps can be taken more in addition to the existing ones in this regard. Due to the various steps, it has been possible to contain inflation at around 9 percent," he said.
The Finance Minister said this while addressing a post budget press conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital today.