BUET unrest: BCL, protesters face off over ban on politics

The demonstrators at Buet yesterday vowed to keep their institution free from politics and banned organisations, while Chhatra League demanded that the university authorities immediately lift the curbs on student politics.

Buet students yesterday boycotted classes and exams for the  second consecutive day but did not hold their pre-announced sit-in.

At a press conference on the campus, they said they will return to classrooms only if the authorities ensure that the campus is safe and free from politics and "evil forces".

On the other hand, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) held a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar where its President Saddam Hussain said their demonstrations would go on until the Buet authorities lift the ban on politics.

"The Chhatra League knows how to have its demand met," he said.

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Student politics at Buet: What VC has to say

He urged the Buet administration to hold students' union elections and immediately give back Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi, a BCL leader and Buet student, his residency at the dormitory.

Unrest at the engineering university began after a group of BCL leaders, including Saddam, gathered on the campus after 2:00am on Thursday. Amid protests, Buet revoked Imtiaz's residency at the dormitory the next day over "the midnight incident". 

Buet on Saturday formed a six-member committee to investigate the incident.

Protesting students maintain that multiple rules were broken when student leaders from other universities entered Buet campus late at night even though the gates are supposed to be locked after 10:30pm.

Addressing the BCL rally yesterday, Saddam said he went to Buet to meet a friend.

He then asked whether one would need a passport and visa to set foot on Buet premises.

After the rally at Shaheed Minar, BCL activists marched to Buet campus and placed a wreath at the mural of Bangabandhu there.

Meanwhile, Buet Vice Chancellor Prof Satya Prasad Majumder yesterday told reporters at his office that it was for the teachers and students to decide whether to lift the restrictions on student politics.

In another development, ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said, "In the name of banning student politics, Buet is being turned into a factory of militancy and dirty politics. If this is indeed the case, the government will have to take action."

Student politics was banned on Buet campus after the murder of second-year student Abrar Fahad by some BCL men at the university's Sher-e-Bangla Hall on October 7, 2019.

Since Friday, Buet students have been demanding expulsion of Imtiaz from the university and 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.

BCL RALLY

Saddam said the death of Abrar was tragic, but certain evil forces are trying to establish fundamentalism on the campus by taking undue advantage of the situation.

"As a citizen of Bangladesh, I have the right to go anywhere … From whom do we need to seek permission? We have the right to go to any university in the world, not just Buet.

"You [Buet] have restricted students' right to freely express their opinion and prevented them from expressing their political thoughts and ideas. In the name of banning [student politics], you have started cultivating the politics of darkness there."

Stating that Buet has a "cancel culture", he said students involved in politics cannot socialise, those who observed the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu and the Independence Day were boycotted.

The ban on politics is like a "black law", he said.

"Student politics may have some negative aspects ... but better politics can replace the negative aspects. The general students themselves will decide the structure of student politics at Buet. We want Buet to show the path for student politics in Bangladesh."

Cadres of banned Islamist outfit Hizbut Tahrir send emails to Buet students, inviting them to be involved in terrorism, he added.

"Thirty-four students are involved in anti-state activities. [Demonstrating] Buet students are not saying anything about them. From where have you learned this selective justice?"

WHAT BUET STUDENTS SAY

Demonstrating Buet students did not mention their names at the press conference.

One of them said the protesters did not hold their sit-in programme because they were feeling insecure amid continuous loudspeaker announcements around campus, threats received over the phone, and rumours spread on social media.

Except for one student, the entire 20th batch spontaneously  boycotted the exams, said another speaker, adding that this showed the collective moral stance against the resumption of student politics at Buet.

The students want a safe campus where someone's pursuit of power does not jeopardise everyone's safety and the educational environment becomes a hostage to greed, said the demonstrator.

Regarding the allegation that Islamist outfit Hizbut Tahrir was active at Buet, the protester said that as per security camera footage, outsiders put up the posters and distributed the flyers of the banned organisation.

The students informed the director and sought appropriate measures after they received an email in their institutional email ID, said the protester.

Thirty-four students, including 24 from Buet, were arrested on charges of "conspiring" against the government during a trip to Sunamganj's Tanguar Haor in July last year.

There was not enough evidence about the incident that occurred outside Buet, said the demonstrator, adding that the matter was pending with the court.

"If there is proof, we will seek expulsion of those found involved with Chhatra Shibir."

Engaging in political activities, forming committees, staging showdowns, and organising public gatherings are violations of a decision that was aimed at keeping the campus free from politics.