Jumbangla Desk: The beginning of the anti-discrimination student movement was around the quota reform. Students protested to demand reform of 56 per cent quota in government jobs, including 30 per cent quota allocated for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters. As a continuation of the movement that started in July, the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and leave the country on August 5 .

However, within three months of the coup, Dhaka University administration has started the admission process for the 2024-25 academic year by maintaining the quota for freedom fighters' grandchildren. Teachers and students think that this admission process is against the spirit of the July revolution.

A total quota of 5 percent has been reserved for the grandchildren of freedom fighters in the admissions of the 2024-25 session of DU. Due to lack of time, it was not possible to reform this quota system, said the concerned.

Talking to several members of the university academic council, it is known that the admission committee meeting of the university was held on October 21. Later, the academic council met on October 27 to discuss the overall issue. Most of the members talked about quota reforms.

The vice-chancellor and treasurer said that the admission process will be started by keeping the quota of 5 percent freedom fighters like last session, showing the 'shortage' of time.

However, in view of the demands of the members, a five-member committee was formed by convening the Dean of the Faculty of Law to reform the quota on the same day.

Online application for admission and submission of admission fee started on Monday (November 4) but no written notification of committee formation was given till Sunday (November 3).

As a result, before any meeting of this committee was held, the admission process started with 5 percent quota for the grandchildren of freedom fighters.

Acceptance of online applications and submission of fees for Dhaka University's undergraduate program in the academic year 2024-25 began on Monday (November 4) at 12 noon. This process will end on November 25 at 11:59 PM.

The notification of the application process states, 'In the fifth step of the application, the applicant will select the divisional city of his examination center in a form similar to Figure-5 shown on the next page and inform the quota information applicable to the student.

If the applicant student wants to apply for the allotted seat for the quota, then click on the applicable quota box and do the following - 'In this case, give the freedom fighter certificate number and upload the freedom fighter certificate in the case of 'child of a freedom fighter/grandchild of a freedom fighter' quota.'

On the other hand, in the notification for the next step of getting a place in the merit list, it is said in the quota part 'E' paragraph, "In the case of the quota of children of freedom fighters (grandsons/granddaughters if no children are available), the certificate issued by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs or the then Bangladesh Mukti Jodha Sangsad from 1997 to 2001." The application should be accompanied by a certificate of freedom fighter countersigned by the Prime Minister.

Children of freedom fighters (if children are not available, grandsons/granddaughters) quota will be given admission permission to the candidates after verifying whether the freedom fighter certificate is correct or not from the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

Under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, the matter will be distributed among the candidates seeking admission in the freedom fighter quota in the Dean's meeting. Quota admission candidates have to collect the prescribed form from the Dean's office of the concerned unit within 7 days of the announcement of the result of the admission test of the respective unit.

Professor ABM Shahidul Islam, chairman of the marketing department of the university, has also submitted a written request to the vice-chancellor of the university by bringing the matter forward.

He told the media that although a committee was formed on October 27 to reform the quota, the members of this committee did not receive a written notification. I got to know about it on Monday even though I was made a member. As a result, without any meeting of the committee, the admission process has started by keeping the quota for the grandchildren of the freedom fighters.

He also said, I am not against freedom fighters. That is why they are given allowance. Children are given job quota. But so the grandchildren have to pay a quota?

A village boy is not getting a chance for his quota. So this quota must be canceled. Otherwise, the blood of thousands of students including Abu Saeed will be dishonored.

Like every year, in the admission of 2024-25 session in Dhaka University, 5 percent in freedom fighter quota, 1 percent in ward/pet quota, 1 percent in tribal/minor ethnic group quota, 1 percent in Harijan and Dalit community quota, handicapped (visual, speech, hearing, physical, neuro-developmental) Disorders/Hijra) quota of 1 percent students will be admitted. Moreover, the university admitted 60 students under the player quota last year, which will remain in force this year as well.

However, although no one disagreed with the other quota, the teachers and students of the university disagreed about the freedom fighter quota.

Hasan Tariq, a fourth-year student of the university, said, "We protested against the quota a few days ago. Dictator Sheikh Hasina did not accept the demand and fired on us and martyred thousands of students.

Within three months of this, the Dhaka University administration started the admission process by keeping a quota for the grandchildren of the freedom fighters. But from here the quota reform movement took the form of a movement to overthrow the government.

The administration should keep in mind that the spirit of revolution should never be neglected. This freedom fighter quota should be canceled immediately.

Hasib Al Islam, Coordinator of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, "In the beginning of July, our movement was against the quota, where 56 percent quota was given in government jobs, including 30 percent to the grandchildren of freedom fighters.

It was farce with genius. We protested against it and at one stage got the resignation of dictator Hasina. Now I got to know whether DU will keep the meritorious ones and admit the grandchildren of freedom fighters in 5 percent quota.

He said, where we have protested against discrimination from the DU campus, they are the ones who want to discriminate. The administration should not forget that it can have bad consequences. We would like to warn that this quota should be canceled and the admission process should be started as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Dhaka University's online admission committee convenor Professor Dr. Mostafizur Rahman said, it has been vigorously discussed in the academic council. A committee was formed that day. Since time was short this year, it was not done earlier. But it can be reviewed after the next meeting.

In this regard, the University's Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Saima Haque Bidisha said that it is an academic matter, so the Vice-Chancellor (Education) can speak well in this matter.

Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed said, I cannot say anything. University Vice-Chancellor (Administration) is acting as the spokesperson. Since it is the university's decision, he will be the one to say.

Later Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Dr. Dr. Saima Haque Vidisha. Mamun Ahmed's comments were questioned but he refused to speak.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan was called several times but could not be reached.

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