The Dhaka University unit of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, the student wing of the National Citizen Party (NCP), staged demonstrations on Friday, protesting the exclusion of meritorious and recommended candidates from the recruitment of primary school assistant teachers on the basis of police verification.
The organisation showed red cards during a human chain and demonstration titled “RED CARD TO BNPIZATION” at the foot of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus.
The protesters demanded the immediate reinstatement of excluded candidates, an end to political considerations in government recruitment, and appointments based solely on merit and qualifications.
Speakers alleged that although appointment letters were issued on Wednesday to around 14,000 candidates who received final recommendations for primary school assistant teacher posts, around 1,200 candidates were denied appointment letters following police verification.
They said excluding candidates because of their political identity or ideology goes against the constitutional principle of equal opportunity in government employment.
DU unit Jatiya Chhatra Shakti President Hasib Al Islam said, “We, the students, know very well how to oust the government from power if it does not accept our demands. The current government is practising partisanship in various fields and going against the aspirations of the July Uprising. We were, are and will remain against partisanship.”
He demanded that merit and qualifications, rather than political affiliation, should be given priority in government recruitment.
Hasib alleged that political considerations are increasingly influencing recruitment in various government institutions and universities.
“One of the aspirations of the July Uprising was to free state institutions from political influence. Therefore, we will not accept the establishment of new political control by any party.”
He also warned that students would launch another movement if the government continued what he described as anti-people activities.
He demanded the reinstatement of candidates excluded from the primary school teacher recruitment process.
Fardous Ayyam, general secretary of the Dhaka University unit Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, said Article 29 of the constitution guarantees equal opportunities for all citizens in public employment.
“Why do you have to join the BNP to get a job? A student will get a job based on his merit and qualifications. He does not have to favour any party or ideology,” he said.
The speakers demanded that candidates whose appointments had been withheld following police verification be issued appointment letters promptly after a transparent investigation.
