The claim of quota reform is logical

The former caretaker government adviser and former cabinet secretary Akbar Ali Khan have said that the claim of quota reform is logical. In an interview with Prothom Alo, he told her like this. He said that due to the argument behind this claim, there is a consensus among the civil society despite the different divisions. In the interview, he opted for the removal of the existing district quota completely. Along with this, he also suggested reforming the quota system of freedom fighters. His interview was done in the background of the ongoing movement to demand the reform of the quota system in government service. AKM Zakaria interviewed

Prothom-Alo: Students and job seekers are demanding reform of the government job quota system. The demand of this movement is logical?

Akbar Ali Khan: It takes two to two and a half years to prepare for the government job or BCS to get jobs, participate in the exam and wait for the results. If a job-seeker has spent so much time after seeing that he has not been employed and the quota behind it is a big reason, then dissatisfaction is very normal. That's why we see that mercenaries do not want to come to government jobs. If the matter becomes so uncertain then the anger-protest is very normal.

Prothom Alo: From civic society, it also came in favor of quota reform ...

Akbar Ali Khan: Although there is a difference of opinion among the various sections of our civil society, we see that it is not in this case. Everyone says that the quota system needs reform. Even the university teachers are divided into different groups, but they also want to reform it.

Prothom-Alo: Questions are being asked about quota rates. Many different types of proposals and proposals. What percentage of the quota do you feel logical?

Akbar Ali Khan: See, intellectualization will be followed in government jobs, according to our constitution. Exceptions can be made only for disadvantaged people. Exceptions can never be more than basic principles. Even if it is evenly equal, it can not be more than 50 percent. In that case, 5 percent is to reduce.

Prothom-alo: 50 percent quota is logical?

Akbar Ali Khan: When Bangabandhu launched Quota in 1972, 17 districts in the country were there. The total number of the quota was 35, including districts, freedom fighters, and talent. Now, 64 quota, women quota, freedom fighters quota, tribal quota, disabled quota, talent quota, and the total number of quota stands at 258. Our method here is very complex, which is called quota on quotas. If the number of positions in any job is 50, he has no opportunity to share in 52 quotas. This leads to the increased scope of corruption. There is no such number of quotes anywhere in the world. When the district was a quota, it was assumed that it would rise within 10-15 years. Because, then the quota system was opposed, opposing the dispute, the establishment secretary Mahbubuzzaman wrote in the note of descent that it was a temporary arrangement.

Prothom Alo: Are you in favor of raising the district quota?

Akbar Ali Khan: I think the district quota should be lifted now. Then the number of quotas will drop from 385 to one jump 38. We can evaluate it after a certain time.

Prothom Alo: Why do you think the district quota is not worth it?

Akbar Ali Khan: See, once in Bangladesh, it was difficult to cross the river Padma. Different areas of the country were isolated. Education discrimination in different areas. Now the Jamuna Bridge has been built, the Padma bridge is going on. Many previous disparities in education have been cut. I have analyzed the results of the BCS three-year period, compared to the once-in-a-place education-like region of Comilla, the people of the southern region got more jobs.

Prothom-Alo: the remaining quota?

Akbar Ali Khan: There should be a quota for women, freedom fighters, tribals and disabled people.

Prothom-Alo: do they need any reform?

Akbar Ali Khan: Freedom Fighter Quota should be reformed. There is no provision of freedom fighter quota in the constitution. In the constitution, the people of the disadvantaged population. Many freedom fighters have lost their lives in war, many have become paralyzed. These families have been damaged due to these reasons. We could not rehabilitate them properly. Considering that, the quota can be kept for their children. But it is not right to be effective if you have a certificate of freedom fighter. It should be applicable only to those who are disadvantaged or wounded. If you take such action, you will lose the fad for getting the certificate of freedom fighters. There is a quota for Dalit class in India, but that does not mean that everyone from Dalit community gets the benefit. If a Dalit family gets a job in Kota, then his child will not get the opportunity. This type of work is effective in India called 'Crimea Layer'. Such provisions are also made in our country. If you do this, there will be no more candidates in the freedom fighter quota. Then they can be filled with merit quota.

Prothom Alo: How do you see the talent being ignored due to quota?

Akbar Ali Khan: Quota is never a perpetual issue. It has to be evaluated immediately with the development of the country. For example, women have reserved seats in parliament. But this is not a permanent thing, but for a specific time period. The government is regularly expanding its tenure. The government quota should be revised and evaluated after at least five years. If we evaluate that women can take place on a merit basis, then there will be no logic to keep that quota. Again, if it does not seem to work in the current quota, then it can be extended. But one thing we need to remember is, the Public Administration Reform Commission was formed three times in Bangladesh. Three suggested that the quota system should be lifted. In this, the first commission was during the Bangabandhu era and the last one during Sheikh Hasina's era.