The activists of Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal are leading the movement in a bid to create unrest on the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) campus by misleading the general students, according to sources.
The students leading the ongoing demonstrations on the BUET campus are not disclosing their identities before the media, creating a mystery over the motive of the movement, sources added.
The protesters on the campus under the banner of ‘general students’ suspended their demonstrations on the third day.
They were supposed to hold a sit-in programme from 7:00am on the premises of Shaheed Minar of BUET campus. The students did not offer a reason for the cancellation of the programme.
They did not take up positions on campus as they did on Fridays and Saturdays, nor did they attend classes or exams.
Asked about the activities of extremist groups on the campus, BUET Vice-Chancellor (VC) Satya Prasad Majumder said, “We see everyone in class as students. We do not have a mechanism to track their activities outside class. That is the responsibility of the government or others.”
“We can only provide information. We can make decisions on academic matters or exams. But if it is a political matter, we cannot make a decision,” he added.
The Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Sunday demanded that BUET authorities immediately lift its ban on student politics on the campus.
BCL president Saddam Hussain issued the call from a protest rally at Central Shaheed Minar on Sunday.
BCL also demanded that BUET authorities take steps to arrange elections to its student union.
Besides, it demanded that BUET reverse its decision to cancel seat allotment to BCL central committee leader and BUET student Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi.
The university on Friday cancelled the residency of Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi, a student of civil engineering department, at a dormitory. It also formed a six-member committee to investigate the allegations and asked it to submit a report by April 8.
After the protest rally at Central Shaheed Minar, several hundred activists of BCL, along with the leader of the central committee, gathered in BUET Shaheed Minar area on Sunday afternoon and placed wreaths at the mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
They blocked the road in the area during their showdown.
BUET Vice-Chancellor (VC) Satya Prasad Majumder said that student politics would be allowed again on the campus of BUET if the teachers and students want.
“The decision to ban political activities was made at the time in view of the circumstances prevailing. If teachers and students want to change that decision, we can take on initiative,” he said.
The vice chancellor made the statement in response to a question from the media at his office on Sunday.
“Without politics, students’ eyes
will not be opened, and their love for their country will not develop. They [students and teachers] should consider it and make a decision. If they do, [student] politics can be allowed again.”
“On behalf of the administration, we cannot force anyone to become involved in politics. But if they take the initiative themselves and say that they want to learn it, engage in it, and practise it as other universities do - if that is their decision, they can resume student politics. That is their democratic right.”
On March 28 at midnight, BCL president Saddam Hussain, along with other leaders and activists, entered the BUET campus.
There were allegations that BUET student Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi, an executive member of the BCL central wing, was present at that time and played a vital role in the entry of BCL.
The protesting students of BUET considered this ‘midnight entry’ of BCL leaders and activists on the campus as a conspiracy to revive student politics on BUET campus.
The students have been demanding the expulsion of several students, including Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi, a central committee member of the pro-Awami League student body, for, what they said, their open political activities on the campus.
They also demanded the removal of Prof Mizanur Rahman from the post of director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare for his failure to enforce the rules.
The BUET administration imposed a ban on student politics after Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of electrical and electronics engineering, was beaten to death on 7 October 2019.