HC stays ban on student politics at Buet
The agitating Buet students yesterday demanded that the university ensure a politics-free campus through legal means after the High Court stayed a university order banning student politics on campus.
The university banned politics on campus after a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League men murdered second-year student Abrar Fahad inside the Sher-e-Bangla Hall on October 7, 2019.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Following a writ filed by Buet student and Chhatra League leader Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi, the HC bench of Justice Md Khosruzzaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar yesterday stayed the effectiveness of the university notice that banned student politics.
Since Friday, students have been demanding expulsion of Imtiaz and the removal of Prof Mizanur Rahman from the post of director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare for what they said was his failure to keep the campus free from politics, an allegation Prof Mizanur refutes.
The students alleged that Imtiaz led over 100 Chhatra League activists to a gathering on campus in the wee hours of Thursday, violating the ban on student politics.
Meanwhile, a group of Chhatra League leaders yesterday welcomed the HC order.
Around 5:45pm, about 10 Chhatra League supporters and activists, including some from Buet, placed wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Buet Shaheed Minar.
Former Buet student Hasin Azfar, now the ICT affairs secretary of the central Chhatra League, was among the participants.
"We have to comply with what the High Court order says, and we cannot be accused of contempt of court."
Chhatra League called for human chains to be formed in all educational institutions in the country today demanding the reinstatement of student politics on Buet campus.
The student body also called a press conference at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University at 11:00am.
STUDENTS' SAY
The Buet students in a press briefing yesterday evening said, "We, the students, are requesting our honourable vice-chancellor to fulfil the aspiration of all students and ensure a politics-free campus through legal process … ."
Political leaders from outside entering the campus on Thursday and their show of force is a violation of the university rules, the statement went on to say.
The students recalled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's statement on October 9, 2019, "They [Buet] have a syndicate and a committee. They can do it [ban student politics]. We won't interfere in it."
Following this, Buet banned all kinds of organisational politics on campus in response to demands of Buet teachers and students, the students said.
They urged the university to properly put forward the opinions of students before the judiciary.
Vowing to resist fundamentalism unitedly, they said Buet campus without student politics is the most secure and education-friendly.
BUET VC'S RESPONSE
Following the High Court order, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Vice-Chancellor Prof Satya Prasad Majumder said they have to comply with the HC order.
Talking to reporters at his office, he said, "We have to comply with what the High Court order says, and we cannot be accused of contempt of court.
"We are yet to receive the High Court order."
He said they would go for the next legal step after receiving the order.
BUET ALUMNI MEET VC
Led by Abdus Sabur, MP, former Buet students, who are now leaders of the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), yesterday demanded the immediate reinstatement of student politics on Buet campus when they met the VC.
After the meeting around noon, Sabur, now president of IEB, told reporters, "We are worried and frightened by the situation on Buet campus. We are expecting responsible behaviour from everyone, including students."
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