PM seeks dialogue with quota protesters amid rejection

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina preferred to avoid conflict and was seeking to engage in dialogue with the protesters who were continuing quota protest despite reforming the reservation system by the government in its jobs, followed by a supreme court order.

"Doors of Ganabhaban are open. I want to sit with the quota protesters and listen to them. I don’t want conflict," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated during a meeting with the central leaders of the Coordination Council of Professionals (Peshajibi Samannay Parishad) at her official residence Ganabhaban on Saturday (August 3).

However, Nahid Islam -- a key coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the 2024 quota protests involving nearly 150 people killed in violent incidents according to government estimates -- stated that they have no intention of sitting with the government.

"When we were in DB custody, we were offered a proposal to meet with the Prime Minister, but we went on a hunger strike in protest against that proposal," he said the media.

Nahid‍‍`s comments came after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed party leaders at a meeting at Ganabhaban last night to engage with the coordinators in an effort to de-escalate the situation.

The Prime Minister has tasked AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, along with Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, with this responsibility, according to party sources.