“We submitted our report to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Monday). Our proposal is that there shouldn’t be quota in the public recruitment for 9th to13th grades, meaning previous 1st class and 2nd class jobs," Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said while briefing reporters at the Secretariat over the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Talking about the freedom fighters’ quota, he said, “We’ve taken opinions of legal experts when they said it’s a policy decision of the government and there’s a court verdict which shouldn’t be disobeyed.”

Now, the Public Administration Ministry will take the formal approval of the Prime Minister in this regard and place it before the Cabinet for its clearance, the Cabinet Secretary said.

Noting that the next Cabinet meeting will be held in the first week of the next month, he said, “If the Cabinet approves it, a gazette notification will be issued in this regard.”

On July 2, the government formed a seven-member committee with Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam as its convener to review the existing quota system in public service.

The other members of the committee are secretaries of the Public Administration, Finance Division, Liberation War Affairs, Legislative Division and PSC and PMO acting secretary.

In April, students of public and private universities across the country waged a strong movement demanding reforms in the quota system in public service recruitment process.

In the face of the movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced in parliament on April 11 the abolition of all types of quotas in government jobs.

But no gazette notification has so far been issued regarding the abolishment of the quota system as per the Prime Minister’s declaration.

On July 12, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it is not possible to reform freedom fighters’ quota in government jobs as there is a High Court verdict to continue it.