Bangladesh court scraps work quota system as protests claim 151 lives

Bangladesh Supreme Court scrapped on Sunday a controversial quota system in government jobs after massive protests killed at least 151 people and injured around 2,500 others. Media reports said that the Bangladesh Supreme Court's Appellate Division dismissed a lower court order giving 30 percent quota in government jobs for the dependents of 1971 independence war veterans' triggered widespread protests. The Supreme Court ruling directed that 93 percent of government jobs would be given on the basis of merit. An earlier lower court ruled in favor of allocating 30 percent government jobs to relatives of freedom fighters triggering student protests that gradually turned into violence and engulfed the entire country. Protesters set several government buildings including media headquarters on fire and freed prisoners after attacking a prominent prison, noting that they deployed heavy security, curfew and shoot at sight orders were given. Source: Kuwait News Agency