Under the court’s orders, Bangladesh will now reserve only 5 percent of government jobs for the children and grandchildren of those who fought for the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971, according to Shah Monjurul Hoque, a lawyer representing student groups. That is down from a quota of 30 percent for the group. The court ruling also orders the reduction of quotas for some other groups, and abolishes quotas for women and those from certain districts. It cuts the quota of jobs for ethnic minorities to 1 percent, down from 5 percent, but leaves in place the 1 percent of jobs that are already reserved for those with disabilities. In all, the ruling shrinks the number of reserved jobs to 7 percent from 56 percent, a move that will open up many more civil service jobs to university students, who had called the old system unfair and demanded its reform.

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Persons: Shah Monjurul Hoque Locations: Bangladesh, Pakistan