The Bangladesh Supreme Court’s decision to scale back a controversial quota system for government job applicants, expected to help end the violent protests, came as a relief for Bangladeshis in Calcutta who scurried for tickets to return home.

Shaikh Eijon, 28, a resident of Rampura in Dhaka, came to Calcutta by train with cousin Redoan Islam, 23, on July 15.

“We were supposed to return two days ago but we waited because of the conflict back home. The Supreme Court verdict came as a relief. We hope the situation gets better now,” he said.

The cousins looked for bus tickets on Friday and Saturday but failed to get any. On Sunday, they finally got two bus tickets for Monday.

Bangladesh’s top court on Sunday scaled back a controversial quota system for government job applicants, in a partial victory for student protesters after days of nationwide unrest and deadly clashes between police and demonstrators that left many dead.

Students, frustrated by shortage of good jobs, have been opposing the 30 per cent quota in government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in the Liberation War.

The government had previously halted it in 2018 following student protests. But in June this year, Bangladesh’s high court reinstated the quota and the order set off a new round of protests.

Like on previous days, on Sunday, too, this newspaper saw scores of Bangladeshis at the counters of bus operators on Free School Street, Sudder Street and Marquis Street, eager to book tickets to return home.

But the number of buses was far too less compared with the demand.

Trains have also been cancelled. “Due to unavoidable circumstances, 13107 Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express (journey commencing from Dhaka on 21.07.2024) and 13108 Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express (journey commencing from Kolkata on 22.07.2024) will remain cancelled,” said a communication from Eastern Railway.

Kamrun Nessa, 36, a resident of Nakalpara in Dhaka, who came to Calcutta on July 17 with a cousin, was supposed to return home by train on Sunday.

Nessa has not been able to connect with her family in the last 48 hours. “If I could see my children for once, via a video call, I would be relieved,” said Nessa, a mother of two.

She was pleading with travel agents for bus tickets but in vain. On Sunday, she was supposed visit the US-Bangla Airlines office. “Even if I have to pay a higher fare, I have to reach my country as soon as possible,” said Nessa.