DU administration cannot avoid responsibility
We are deeply concerned about the failure of our public university administrations to stop the repeated incidents of mob lynching that have recently resulted in the deaths of three individuals—one mentally unwell person and two leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League. Reportedly, at Dhaka University, while 35-year-old Tofazzal was being tortured by students in the guest room of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall on mere suspicion of theft, no one from the hall administration or the proctorial body came forward to save him. The same was true for the other two incidents at Jahangirnagar University and Rajshahi University. At a time when we are dreaming of building a country free from all kinds of discrimination and inequality, such brutality within the country's higher educational institutions, occurring under the very nose of the administrations, has shocked the whole nation.
During the past 15 years of Awami League rule, we saw how our university campuses had become hotspots for various criminal activities, as the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League created an environment of fear on campuses. We witnessed how they dominated the administrations in the residential halls and turned guest rooms into torture cells, rendering the hall administrations practically redundant. We observed the silence of the BUET administration when BCL members tortured Abrar Fahad to death. Apparently, they could not perform their mandated duties fearing reprisal from the BCL and the higher-ups of the then government. But what is stopping them from performing their tasks now? What are they afraid of?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Had the hall administration taken timely action, Tofazzal's life could have been saved. The question is, why couldn't the hall provost be reached despite the fact that he lives on the hall premises? Why did it take so long for the proctorial team to reach the spot where such inhuman brutality was being inflicted on a mentally unwell person? Also, instead of taking the critically injured Tofazzal directly to a hospital, why did the mobile team of the proctor's office take him to Shahbagh Police Station? We want answers to these questions from the DU administration.
It is encouraging that police have arrested six students in connection with this incident. We now hope that the DU administration will also fulfil its role by conducting a proper investigation into the incident and taking punitive action against those involved in Tofazzal's death. Such incidents go entirely against the spirit of the July uprising and must not be repeated.
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