On 10 July 2024, a nationwide blockade demanding the abolition of what protesters called irrational and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs brought transport across Bangladesh to a standstill. Rail, road, and highways were blocked, effectively isolating Dhaka from the rest of the country. The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division issued a status quo order the same day after hearing an appeal over the legality of quotas in grades 9 to 13, keeping the previous decision intact. Despite the order, the movement continued, and new protest programs were announced.

Students under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement blocked major intersections across Dhaka, including Shahbagh, Farmgate, and Mohakhali, from morning until evening. Rail communication between Dhaka and other regions was suspended for several hours, delaying at least 22 trains. Outside the capital, highways in multiple districts were also blocked.

Movement coordinators Asif Mahmud and Sarjis Alam declared that their only demand was the abolition of quotas in all grades, limiting reservations to a maximum of five percent through parliamentary legislation. The ruling party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader urged protesters to suspend disruptive programs until the Supreme Court’s final hearing in early August.