BANGLADESH has been witnessing a massive student protest against the re-imposition of quota system by the government. The demonstrations have echoed similar movements in Pakistan in the past. The agitation in Bangladesh, primarily led by university students, stems from a longstanding contention over the fairness and efficacy of reserving a substantial portion of government jobs for specific groups.

The policy, reinstated by the current government, has sparked widespread discontent among the youth, who argue that it undermines meritocracy and perpetuates inequality. The comparison with Pakistan’s quota system, which also reserves a considerable percentage of government positions for various groups, adds a regional perspective to the debate, highlighting common challenges and concerns related to such affirmative action policies in South Asia.

In Bangladesh, the quota system in government jobs has been a contentious issue for years. Initially introduced to ensure representation of underprivileged and marginalised groups, the policy has evolved and expanded despite the criticism that it was being abused to favour certain segments at the expense of merit-based recruitment.

The current countrywide protests were ignited by the government’s decision to revert to a system that reserves 56 per cent of government jobs for specific groups, and leaves only 44pc jobs open to merit-based competition. Students argue that such a disproportionate allocation severely limits opportunities for deserving candidates, exacerbating frustrations in a country where unemp- loyment among educated youth is already high. The protesters have been demanding a more balanced approach that should acknowledge the need for mass inclusivity without compromising on meritocracy.

The situation in Bangladesh mirrors the challenges that are being faced in Pakistan where successive governments have maintained a complex quota system that allocates a significant percentage of civil service jobs to various groups, including women, minorities, and residents of less developed areas. While intended to promote inclusivity and address historical inequalities, the system has been criticised for reasons that are not too different from Bangladesh. Critics have been arguing that such policies, while apparently well-intentioned, often fail to address the root causes of inequality and instead create new forms of disenfranchisement.

The comparison between the quota systems of Bangladesh and Pakistan underscores a broader regional dilemma. Like Bangladesh, Pakistan grapples with the need to balance equity and merit in a socioeconomic landscape marked by deep-seated disparities.

After violent protests in which more than a hundred people were killed in Bangladesh, uneasy peace was restored only after the country’s apex court scrapped most of the quotas that were applicable to government jobs. Pakistan should follow suit if it wants prosperity and meritocracy.

Affirmative action policies, like quota system, aim at redressing historical injustices and providing opportunities to marginalised groups. However, the implementation of these policies often sparks debates about fairness, efficiency and long-term implications.

The student protests in Bangladesh against the re-imposition of the quota system reflect a broader struggle within South Asia to reconcile the ideals of equity and merit. The parallels with Pakistan’s own experience surely highlight common challenges in implementing affirmative action policies in a way that genuinely promotes social justice without fostering new forms of inequality in the region.

Uroosa Mehboob
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2024