July 14 was the continuation of 13th July’s pre-announced march to the President’s official residence at Bangabhaban. Anti-quota protesters on the previous day (July 13) planned to submit a memorandum, despite the government’s strict stance against the movement, including a case already filed against “unidentified” students for damaging police vehicles. The memorandum outlined the one-point demand, along with calling an emergency parliamentary session to pass laws on rational quota reforms in all grades of government jobs.
They also demanded the withdrawal of cases filed against the students and termed them “false and fabricated.”
On the day, a group of 12 coordinators of the “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement” entered Bangabhaban and submitted a memorandum to the military secretary to the president (MSP). The coordinators, including Asif Mahmud, Nahid Islam, and Sarjis Alam, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government to reform the existing quota in all grades of government jobs. Under police escort, they reached Bangabhaban at 2:40 PM and left by 3 PM on July 14.
After submitting the memorandum, coordinator Sarjis Alam explained that they had informed the MSP that the 5% quota for minorities and the disabled should be retained, but the remaining quotas should be abolished. They hoped that the president would consider our demands.
Earlier that day, at 12 PM, thousands of students began a pre-announced march from the University of Dhaka towards Bangabhaban. According to The Business Standard, Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad, a coordinator of the movement, said about the procession’s route, “Our mass procession is heading towards Bangabhaban via the Central Library, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, TSC, Shahbagh intersection, Matsya Bhaban, Kadam Fountain, the Secretariat, and will proceed to Zero Point in Gulistan.”
In front of the Baitul Mukarram mosque, more than a hundred police officers, along with barricades, had been deployed. At around 1:45 PM, the students’ procession broke through the police barricades in Baitul Mukarram and proceeded towards Bangabhaban.
Meanwhile, around 2:00 PM, a delegation of 18 protesters of Rajshahi University (RU) submitted a memorandum to the Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner (DC), addressing the President. Earlier in the day, the protesting students started their 8-kilometer march at 11 AM from RU’s central library to submit the memorandum to DC’s office.
At 11 AM, protesting students of Jahangirnagar University staged a solidarity rally and protest march, criticizing attacks and lawsuits filed against students of several universities. While advocating for justice, Golam Rabbani, a professor of history at Jahangirnagar University (JU), said the quota system undermined the country’s merit. During the JU student protest, he explained to TBS, “When meritorious individuals are not given opportunities, their talents go unrecognized and unutilized, ultimately destroying merit.” Describing the students’ anti-quota protest as justifiable, other professors of JU supported the movement. Kamrul Ahsan, current vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, referred to the reinstatement of the 2018 circular by the Appellate Division as a ‘deceptive trick’ to suppress/undermine the movement. He said, “The students demand quota reform. However, reinstating the 2018 circular instead of addressing this demand has only exacerbated the problem without solving it, primarily due to the government’s resentment and anger during the 2018 quota reform movement.”
The professors sought reasonable reforms of the existing quota allowing both merit and disadvantaged groups to contribute to the nation equally.
Later that day, Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina addressed in a press briefing at Ganabhaban that they had nothing to do with repealing or reforming the quota system unless the court resolves the matter. She said, “The truth is: I have no right to take a stance against a court order. Neither the constitution nor the rules of business of the parliament allow it. Unless there is a solution from the court, we have nothing to do. They (protesters) have to accept this reality.”
Rather, she blamed the protesters for carrying out destructive activities and hurting the country. Replying to a question, the prime minister said during the conference, “If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, will those then go to the grandchildren of Razakars? That’s my question, the countrymen’s question.” Commenting that the government can’t take any action regarding the quota, the PM addressed the demonstrators as reluctant to obey the law and respect the court.
“Those who are protesting don’t abide by the law or the court or recognize the constitution. They don’t even know how a state administration or government operates,” the PM added.
After PM Sheikh Hasina questioned the merit behind the demand to abolish the quota system at the press conference in Ganabhaban, the students’ protest escalated in anger. At midnight, DU students burst into protest, alleging that their legitimate demands were disgraced. The students of DU gathered at Raju Memorial Sculpture and chanted various slogans, including, ‘Cheyechilam Odhikar, hoye gelam Razakar,’ translated as ‘We sought our rights but have been made Razakars.’
