The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) will review the results of the 34th BCS preliminary examinations. This follows protests by failed examinees
demanding a review of the results and an end to the quota system.
The controller of examinations, AEM Nesaruddin, said the PSC would review the results “following misunderstanding among some examinees”. The examinees paralysed the city’s traffic system, with a major intersection at Shahbagh completely swamped by them since 11 am. They demanded abolition of the quota system.
At present, passed candidates include thirty per cent quota holders, such as children of freedom fighters, national minorities, physically challenged persons, district quota holders and women quota holders.
The protesters urged everyone, including their guardians, to join them to restore the merit system in the selection of the country’s future civil servants.
They named Shahabagh Square, known for the Ganojagoran Mancha or Generation Square, as Merit Square. The students vowed to continue their stir saying that they will return at 11 am on Thursday.
The traffic movement came to a standstill as the roads from the Shahjalal airport to the city were closed to facilitate VVIP movement and a religious procession brought out by the Hindu community celebrating Rathajatra festival.
The rush-hour commuters had a harrowing time as the students blocked the Shahbagh intersection, throwing the entire traffic system into disarray. Many had to walk under the searing sun to reach their workplaces. Some people had to walk from Mirpur and Banani to the city centre.
The police said the traffic from Kantaban to Shahbagh and Matsya Bhaban to Shahbagh came to a standstill due to the students’ protest. The commuters’ woes were compounded by the Rathajatra procession. Vehicular movement was halted during the procession to and from the Dhakeswari temple.
Traffic policemen also had a trying time to deal with errant rickshaw-pullers and taxi drivers.
Witnesses said the traffic congestion spread to other intersections like Bangla Motor, Karwanbazar, Farmgate, Mahakhali to Banani, Jahangir Gate and Ruposi Bangla and Science Laboratory.
The traffic snarls affected other streets at Khamarbari, Manik Mia Avenue, Agargaon, Asadgate, Shyamoli, Dhanmandi, New Market, Nilkhet and Katabon to Dhaka University. The road communication from Kakrail to Fakirapul and the Press Club to Paltan came to a complete halt. Traffic policemen had to divert Shahbagh-bound vehicles from the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel intersection to minimise the commuters’ woes.
Sohel Rana, a commuter, said: “It took me at least one and half hours to reach Kawranbazar from Mohammadpur. I saw many passengers getting down from buses and walking to reach their destination.”
Talking to The Independent, the joint commissioner of traffic police, Mir Rezaul Karim said: “The protest at Shahbagh caused the traffic gridlock. But the situation is under control now.”
The PSC published the results of 34th BCS exams on Monday afternoon. Out of 221,575 candidates, 12,033 qualified for the written test.
This is the first time that the quota system has been introduced from the preliminary test stage. Earlier, the quota system used to come into force in the final stage of the BCS examinations, that is during viva voce examination.
Under the new system, 56 per cent BCS candidates get quota facilities.
-With The Independent input
