Quota protestors not open to discussion with government after bloodshed
DU Correspondent
Several leaders of the quota reform movement say they are not open to discussions with the government due to the deaths of students in police gunfire.
Several coordinators of the quota reform movement took to Facebook to make the announcement on Thursday after receiving a proposal from the government for talks.
Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the ‘Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’, wrote: “You cannot have a discussion with a bullet. I would rather die than betray the blood that has been shed.”
Another coordinator, Sarjish Alam, wrote: “Bullets and corpses on one side and discussion on the other! How can there be a discussion over the blood that my brothers have shed?”
Hasnat Abdullah, another coordinator of the movement, wrote: “I will not trample over people’s lives to hold discussions.”
He told bdnews24.com: “The discussions could have taken place earlier. Discussions and opening fire do not go hand in hand. We can’t trample over dead bodies to hold discussions.”
Earlier in the day, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government is prepared to meet the protestors calling for reforms of the quota system for civil service jobs whenever they are ready.
“We will make some demands. And those demands may be negotiated. We are discussing those demands. We will write our demands out in full so that they are not misrepresented.”
