In July-August 2024, female students of Dhaka University (DU) were seen breaking down the hall gates several times to participate in the anti-government movement. However, that culture remained even after the fall of the Awami League on August 5. They are now flouting the rule at midnight repeatedly.
Recently, they staged a midnight protest demanding a ban on student politics in the halls of Dhaka University, centring on the announcement of the convening committee of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) ahead of the DUCSU elections slated for September 9.
Although these female students claimed to be ordinary students, the leaders of some student organisations alleged that the movement was led by some political leaders to take to the streets and press the vice-chancellor and the proctor to meet their demands.
These leaders are linked to the pro-government Bangladesh Democratic Students Union (BDSU), the student wing of the National Citizen Party (NCP), and Jamaatโs student front, Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), media reports say.
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These groups, together with the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), have established supremacy in DU as well as in most public and private universities. The BNPโs student wing, JCD, has been sidelined deliberately, like its mother party.
Last year, these groups launched a campaign against student politics on the campuses, aiming to secretly regroup their members and prevent the JCD and leftist parties from gaining ground.
On the other hand, since the beginning of his term, DU Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan has been patronising BDSU, ICS, and HuT because of his close ties with Jamaat. Former ICS President of the DU unit, Abu Shadik Kayem, recommended his name after the changeover last year.
Recently, it was revealed that many Shibir leaders, including Shadik Kayem, were active members of the now-banned Chhatra League, and they used to use violent means against other parties and ordinary students to slander the Awami Leagueโs student front.
Mohir Alam, member secretary of the DU branch of the BDSU, said: โOur female leaders were in the movement because the ordinary students do not want student politics. However, none of us were in the leadership.โ
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Media reports say the BDSU leaders and activists of the organisation were seen on the front lines.
Armanul Haque, convener of the DU unit of the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, said: โI do not see female students breaking the gates in any logical movement for their own needs. But why are they repeatedly breaking the gates in such a political movement?โ
Nuzia Hasin Rasha, president of the DU Sangsad of the Biplobi Chhatra Moitri, said: โWe have been seeing some processions at midnight since the political changeover. At various times, these processions were led by leaders and activists of a secret organisation. Even before the BDSU was formed, its members were in its leadership. These secret organisations are holding these processions in the name of ordinary students by deceiving ordinary students.โ
Rasha said that the movement against student politics is largely motivated. After the announcement of the Chhatra Dal committees, ordinary students were angry because everyone wanted a reform outline from the administration. But it did not happen.
Protests were expected from the students. But the way the protest took place was fabricated. The JCD committees were announced at 10am, but the procession took place after 10pm. Members of the ICS were leading the processions from the boysโ halls. Even among the girls, there were many leaders and activists of Jamaatโs female studentsโ wing, Islami Chhatri Sangstha. They provoked ordinary students all day long to ignite the processions.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BASOD) Central General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman welcomed the rise in political awareness among the students. However, female students breaking the lock of the halls and coming out around midnight imply that some deep-rooted activities are going on here.
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Without mentioning names, he said that some vested groups are pushing the students forward by brainwashing them while staying behind and deciding what to do.
Meghmallar Basu, president of the Dhaka University unit of the Students Union, said: “Actually, there were always Shibir on the campus, but they worked secretly. Although many ordinary students were subjected to torture, after August 5, it was seen that the organogram of Shibir was intact. If politics is banned, then those who do secret politics will benefit.”
Prof Zubaida Nasrin of the anthropology department at DU said that the students are protesting in a pick-and-choose manner.
These female students did not come out when obscene words were made against the women from a Jamaat-e-Islami rally in TSC, when the Women Reform Commission members were abused, and when women were harassed in public in DU and elsewhere.
โI think there is politics behind it. We do not want anyone to try to use our students for any political gains,โ she said.
Despite strong demands to ban politics in the halls, the JCD has announced that its committees will remain in place. At the same time, they have expressed their strong stance on stopping the secret politics of the ICS.
A 13-member delegation of the JCD met the VC on Thursday. Later, while talking to reporters, its central president, Rakibul Islam Rakib, announced that the hall committees will remain in place.
On the other hand, the university administration has formed a five-member committee to formulate an outline for student politics on the campus. This committee will make recommendations on how conventional student politics can play a constructive role.
Rakib said just as the Chhatra League occupied the halls, the ICS is also establishing control through secret politics. Various negative comments are being made about the JCD in the DU Chhatra Sangshad Group. He also said that the JCD is being subjected to a targeted campaign on social media by the ICS.
Abdul Quader, convener of the DU unit of the BDSU, said: “We have made it clear that we do not want activities of student organisations in the halls and academic areas. That applies to both overt and covert politics.” The students demanded that there should be no politics in the halls. Through this, the students do not want that dominance and occupation to return.”
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