DU Correspondent

The Chhatra League members involved in a 2019 attack on the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) must be arrested, besides having their student status revoked by DU authorities and getting expelled from any DUCSU posts, according to speakers at an event organised by Bangladesh Chhatra Adhikar Parishad on Sunday.

Additionally, they also called for the Awami League to be banned, and for those who secured jobs through irregular means to be expelled.

The event was held to demand the arrest of the Chhatra League and Muktijuddho Mancha activists who were responsible for the brutal attack on former DUCSU VP Nurul Haq Nur and members of the Chhatra Adhikar Parishad on December 22, 2019 - exactly 5 years back.

Former DUCSU VP Nurul Haq Nur stated, "Through the passage of the NRC and CAA bills in India, Muslims in India were being made stateless, forced into concentration camps, and then sent to Bangladesh. We issued a statement against this. In this regard, Saddam Hossain told me to talk about domestic issues instead. He warned that if we spoke out against India, Chhatra League would cause trouble. This is what led to the attack on us."

"As the DUCSU VP, many people used to come to meet me. One day, Sanjit Chandra Das came and threatened me on these issues, even though he was not a DUCSU leader. When I informed the Proctor, he said, 'What are you doing in DUCSU on a holiday?' We respect teachers, but some teachers, like former Proctor Golam Rabbani, showed a monstrous character. All the operations of the attack took place under his watch, and he was the one behind everything" said Nur.

He further said, "The government’s four-month performance has been unsatisfactory. Allies of the Awami League are still in government jobs. Those who were given jobs through violations of the rules in the last sixteen years should be expelled. I support forgiveness for ordinary Awami League members, but those who have the blood of the youth of Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir on their hands must be eliminated. The government must take direct action. Police reform is not enough, everything in the state must be overhauled."

He also emphasized the need for DUCSU elections to prevent the rise of Chhatra League or any other violent groups, pointing out that there is a group that has positioned itself against elections as they fear they won’t be able to secure positions.

He called on young people to step up as leaders and urged DU administration to improve living and food standards in the university halls.

Former acting convenor of Bangladesh Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, Rashed Khan, shared that when the attack occurred, he had informed Proctor Golam Rabbani, but he dismissed the incident, saying, "Why did you come to campus on a holiday?" By doing so, he legitimized the attack. Rashed also said they would start a movement if such teachers were not expelled.

He mentioned that when they tried to file a case against Saddam and Sanjit at Shahbag Police Station, the police refused to accept the case. Instead, the police filed a report claiming there was just a scuffle, which they rejected.

Rashed also called for the cancellation of the DUCSU positions of those involved in election rigging in the 2019 DUCSU elections. He stressed that those who were responsible for rigging must have their positions and student status revoked, and there should no longer be panel-based elections. Only qualified candidates should run independently, and the administration should ensure a conducive environment for this.

He suggested dissolving the existing Poribesh Parishad and forming a new one including rising organizations like the Chhatra Adhikar Parishad.

Chhatra Adhikar Parishad President Bin Yamin Mollah added, "Even though we were students of Dhaka University, whenever we asked Proctor Golam Rabbani for permission to hold an event, he would say, 'I can’t give permission, and if Chhatra League does something, you will be held responsible.' Despite this, we held the event without permission."

He reiterated the demand to expel then-Proctor Golam Rabbani and arrest those who attacked the Chhatra Adhikar Parishad activists, revoking their student status. He also called for the banning of the Awami League, stating that unless the 'mother' party (Awami League) is banned, it will continue to breed violence on campuses and produce more Chhatra League terrorists.

Additionally, he suggested adding a position in DUCSU related to the 2024 Uprising and creating an atmosphere for all willing and eligible candidates to participate in elections.

Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed mentioned, "Although we may have disagreements on some issues, we must unite on democracy, freedom, and the educational environment. We need DUCSU to provide a platform where all students can come together to discuss. Without this, we will fall behind."

He also stated that he had spoken with the Officer-in-Charge of Shahbag Police Station and hoped to resume the investigation into the 2019 incidents once the case documents were available.

He concluded by saying that with everyone's support, the university could be turned into a platform for democracy and free thought.

The discussion was also attended by Dhaka University Economics Department Assistant Professor Dr. Rushad Faridi and others who were injured during the attack on DUCSU in 2019.