Dhaka: BNP senior leader Dr Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain on Thursday alleged that the government has politicised the administration taking advantage of the quota system in public service.

‘The demand of those demonstrated for reforming the quota system was logical as only 44 percent of job-seekers are used to be appointed on merit basis in government service. It’s unfair to ignore merit,’ he said.

Speaking at a discussion, he further said, ‘The current government has politicised the administration by appointing its cadres taking advantage of the quota system. That’s why the student movement against it was very justified.’

Nagorik Kantha, a pro-BNP platform, organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club demanding BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s unconditional release from jail.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said their party chairperson, while presenting their party’s vision 2030 two years back, announced to revoke quotas except those kept for freedom fighters’ children, ethnic minority and physically challenged people.

He said their party extended its support to the students’ quota reform movement while the government obstructed it and repressed the demonstrators by police.

Referring to Prime Minister’s announcement to abolish the quota system, the BNP leader said it was government’s defeat. ‘The students wouldn’t have waged the movement had the government realised the need for reforming the quota system when we unveiled our vision 2030 pointing out the issue,’ he said.

In the wake of a nationwide movement by students and job-seekers, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday announced that there will be no quota system in government jobs.

About a video containing conversation between BNP’s acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and a Dhaka University teacher about the quota reform movement that went viral, Mosharraf said their leader from London requested the DU teacher to extend their support and sympathy to the demonstrators. ‘There’s nothing wrong in it, rather it’s very logical,’ he said.

He urged his party leaders and activists to take lesson from the students’ movement and get inspired for launching a strong movement to ‘restore’ democracy as well as people’s voting and all other rights.