On 4 July 2024, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s ruling to reinstate the quota, by declaring the government’s 2018 circular ‘illegal’.1264 Following the verdict, protests intensified.1265 Students of Dhaka University repeated their march, and blocked Shahbagh intersection for the third consecutive day.1266 This time for six hours.1267 Protest coordinator Nahid Islam announced a new three-day protest programme from Friday to Sunday (5–7 July 2024).1268 According to local media, members of the Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling party, locked the university’s halls to prevent students from joining the protests1269 and a large number of students of Dhaka University were reportedly intimidated by Chhatra League leaders and activists.1270 Meanwhile, thousands of students blocked major highways, including those connecting Dhaka with the cities of Aricha,1271 Chattogram,1272 Barishal1273 and Rajshahi,1274 as well as Chattogram–Khagrachari highway.1275 Some highways were blocked for less than an hour, while others were blocked for up to three1276 and five hours.1277
Nationwide protests continued at educational institutions on 5 July 2024, including sit-ins and road blockades.1278 On 6 July 2024, students blocked Shahbagh intersection for an hour,1279 and also the Dhaka-Mymensing railroad.1280 The student movement launched the ‘Bangla Blockade’ initiative, set to start at 15:00 the next day, during which all major intersections and roads would be blocked nationwide.1281 They also criticised the government for not making any attempts to initiate a dialogue with the student movement.1282
- 1264
Dhaka Tribune, Top court upholds HC verdict reinstating FF quota in govt jobs, 4 July 2024, url; Bdnews24.com, Top court maintains High Court verdict to restore freedom fighter quota for now, 4 July 2024, url
- 1265
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Daily Star (The), Anti-quota protests swell across univs, 5 July 2024, url
- 1266
Bdnews24.com, Protests calling for quotas to be scrapped block Shahbagh intersection for third day, 4 July 2024, url
- 1267
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Daily Observer, Quota protest: Students announce demo, class, exam boycott, 4 July 2024, url
- 1268
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; PrimeNewsbd.net, Pressure mounts on govt amid student protests, 5 July 2024, url
- 1269
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, Quota reinstatement: University students announce class, exam boycott, 4 July 2024, url
- 1270
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url
- 1271
Dhaka Tribune, Quota reinstatement JU students block Dhaka-Aricha highway, 4 July 2024, url; New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url
- 1272
Daily Star (The), Quota system protest: Comilla University students block Dhaka-Ctg highway for 3hrs, 4 July 2024, url; PrimeNewsbd.net, Pressure mounts on govt amid student protests, 5 July 2024, url
- 1273
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Daily Star (The), Anti-quota protests swell across univs, 5 July 2024, url
- 1274
New Age, Student protests aganist quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Somoy TV, Students block Dhaka-Rajshahi highway demanding quota reform, 4 July 2024, url
- 1275
New Age, Student protests against quota intensify, 4 July 2024, url; Daily Star (The), Anti-quota protests swell across univs, 5 July 2024, url
- 1276
Daily Star (The), Quota system protest: Comilla University students block Dhaka-Ctg highway for 3hrs, 4 July 2024, url; PrimeNewsbd.net, Pressure mounts on govt amid student protests, 5 July 2024, url
- 1277
Daily Star (The), Anti-quota protests swell across univs, 5 July 2024, url
- 1278
Business Standard (The), Anti-quota movement intensifies, calls for class, exam boycott, 5 July 2024, url
- 1279
Dhaka Tribune, Quota movement: Protesters announce Bangla Blockade on Sunday, 6 July 2024, url; Daily Star (The), Protests against quotas: Students go for ‘Bangla Blockade’, 7 July 2024, url
- 1280
Financial Express (The), Quota protests disrupt rail, road transport, 9 July 2024, url; New Age, Anti-quota protests rock Bangladesh, 8 July 2024, url
- 1281
Dhaka Tribune, Quota movement: Protesters announce Bangla Blockade on Sunday, 6 July 2024, url; Daily Star (The), Protests against quotas: Students go for ‘Bangla Blockade’, 7 July 2024, url
- 1282
Business Standard (The), Anti-quota movement intensifies, calls for class, exam boycott, 5 July 2024, url