The reckless activities of student wing of the ruling party in the name of student politics in public universities seems know no end. In addition to be involved in seat business, money extortion, ragging, sexual assault, internal conflict, engaging in conflict with opposition, it’s their regular task to get involved in some kind of controversial activities.
In many cases, the leaders and activists of Chhatra League have become another name of terror to the general students. The authorities concerned of the universities seem to pay no attention to these detrimental activities to campus. Due to some controversial activities of this student wing, unstable and weak conditions are being prevailed in some public universities.
However, the government is raising voice over the student politics of private universities. They’re trying to hold reign over student politics of these universities. According to the ‘Record of Discussions’ of the meeting of ministry of home affairs, necessary directives have been sent to private universities. However, despite around 50 private universities have committee of two main political parties (Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatradal), no news of conflict or misconduct is heard there. On the contrary, because of various controversial activities of the student wing of ruling party, the public universities now have fallen into unstable situation. Hence, concerned persons of public universities showed their wonder as there’s no directives from the government over the disorder prevailing there.
Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka, AMS Arefin Siddique on Thursday told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “There is no opportunity to distinguish between public and private universities. Public universities are funded by the government and private universities are run through trusts. Apart from this there should be no difference. All universities should have the same system for the same crime.”
It is known from the source that the Ministry of Education has sent a letter to the UGC based on the meeting of the core committee of Ministry of Home Affairs. In the letter, the UGC has been asked to be alert and monitor regularly so that there’s no disorder-situation occurs in the name of student politics in the private universities. UGC has sent such instructions of the Ministry of Education to all the private universities of the country.
The thing said in the directive: According to the 'Record of Discussions' of the core committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, it has been requested to take precautions and monitor regularly the activities so that there’s no anarchy in the name of student politics in the private universities. The UGC's letter asked the local administration, intelligence agencies, government and the commission to inform immediately the universities if any unstable situation is created or there’s the chance of having such situation.
Recently, among the public universities of the country, it has been seen that a leader of the Chhatra League has recorded a video of sexually assaulting and stripping a young student in the name of ragging in the Islamic University. Apart from this, the provost of a hall was assaulted and the provost's office vandalized by the Chhatra League activists of the university. Moreover, an extortion case was filed against the president of the Chhatra League in Jagannath University. Chhatra League has locked the administrative building and the examination controller's office to demand the removal of Jamaat-BNP supporters from the administrative posts in Jahangirnagar University.
Several people were injured in the recent clash between two groups of the Chhatra League in Chittagong University. All in all, this student organization of the ruling party has made headlines for their embarrassing activities in at least 10 universities this month.
Professor AMS Arefin Siddique also said no anarchy is desirable for the sake of continuing education programs in the university. There will be politics in the university, but in the name of politics no one will be allowed to commit apolitical, anarchic, terrorizing activities. The main identities of those who do politics in the university should be of ‘students.’ Therefore, if they do not behave like students, the law should be enforced impartially and firmly against them; only then all anarchy can be stopped.
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March 16 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
