Obaidul Quader, the General Secretary of the ruling Awami League, accused the BNP of attempting to use the current quota movement as a means to overthrow the government.
"Attempting to leverage the students` movement is their
latest strategy after failing to organize their own movements. In 2018, they relied on the anti-quota movement and abstained from the elections due to fear of defeat. Now, their aim is to exploit the students` movement to destabilize the government," Quader stated during a press conference in the capital on Tuesday.He emphasized that the movements by teachers and students are non-political in nature, though some political parties, including the BNP and its allies, are supporting them.
Quader also urged the Chhatra League to handle the situation with care.
Directing his message to the protesting students, Quader appealed for patience until the Appellate Division makes its decision.
"We expect the students to remain calm and avoid causing any public inconvenience," he added.
"We are closely monitoring both movements. I appreciate the students for not organizing any program today," he concluded.
For the past seven days, students from various public universities, colleges, and job seekers have been demonstrating, demanding the reinstatement of a 2018 circular that eliminated the quota system in government jobs.
On June 4, the Supreme Court upheld a High Court verdict declaring the government circular illegal until further notice.