Dhaka: BNP on Thursday accused the government of playing double standard over the quota issue and voiced doubt about the implementation of the decision of abolishing quota for the first and second class public jobs.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that the government is behind the demonstration by freedom fighters’ children demanding that the 30 percent quota privileges be retained for them in government jobs reports the UNB.

‘Students waged a movement seeking reform in quota system, not its elimination. Even after that, a decision was taken to abolish quota. Now the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters have been brought to the streets. It’s their (govt’s) double standard.’

The BNP leader further said, ‘Ultimately, they (govt) won’t allow implementation of the decision on quota cancellation.’

On Wednesday, the Cabinet approved a proposal for abolishing the existing quota system in the recruitment process of first and second class government jobs.

Referring to a demonstration by the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters at Shahbagh, Rizvi said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself asked them to wage the movement. ‘The government brought them to the streets with an open declaration.’

Rizvi alleged that the government has taken the quota issue as a challenge, and it is now trying to confuse people resorting to tricks. ‘The government is doing everything necessary not to implement it (abolishment of quota).’

He urged the Prime Minister to shun its role of double standard and not to confuse people with its tricks.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments defending the Digital Security Bill, 2018, the BNP leader questioned as to why the Prime Minister is so enthusiastic about such a law. ‘The police have been given unbridled power to enter newspaper offices, seize their documents and arrest them (journalists). There’s no such example in any other democratic countries.’

Rizvi said also questioned the justification of the Digital Security Bill, 2018 since there are customary laws to take action if any one publishes any false information.

He also voiced concern that people will be subjected to harassment for publishing authentic information abusing the Digital Security Bill. ‘Voters have the right to cast votes in favour of truth. But voters now can’t exercise this right, and journalists will lose the right to write it once the law is put in place.’

The BNP leader said the government has got the bill passed so that journalists cannot write about the government’s misdeeds and corruption.