Buet authorities have announced that students cannot be members of any political organisation, be it on campus or outside. 

The move comes nearly six months after the High Court allowed student politics on the campus.

A notice issued on Saturday by the premier engineering university read, "No student can join any political party or other organisations except for clubs or societies approved by the university."

Student leaders have urged Buet to immediately withdraw the decision, terming it undemocratic and unconstitutional.

The Buet notice says the authorities' aim is to ensure the quality of education, proper evaluation of merit, and elevate the university's status in the international academic community.

Buet academic council at a meeting on September 21 made the decision as part of its effort to reduce political activities among students, the notice signed by Buet Registrar Forkan Uddin adds.

"Students must strictly adhere to the university ordinance, and any violations will result in appropriate disciplinary action taken as per the rules of the ordinance," the statement reads.

On April 1 this year, the High Court stayed the effectiveness of the university's 2019 ban on student politics.

The stay order came in response to a writ petition filed by Buet student and Chhatra League leader Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi.

On October 7, 2019, a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League men murdered a second-year student at a dormitory. Buet banned politics after that.

Contacted yesterday, Professor Al Amin Siddiqui, director of student welfare, said, "We made the decision considering the current situation."

No students will be allowed to be members of organisations that have any form of political involvement, he added.

"For instance, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad or Doctors Association of Bangladesh are not political organisations, but they have political affiliations. Our students cannot be part of such bodies."

He said as per Section 16 of the Board of Residence and Discipline of the Buet Ordinance, students always needed permission from the Directorate of Student Welfare to be involved in a political organisation.

Talking to The Daily Star, Nasir Uddin, general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, said, "Banning student politics is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Banned organisations will be active now. It puts many students at risk of harassment. We believe Buet students will welcome all student organisations except Chhatra League."

Mashiur Rahman Richard, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, said, "All Buet students are voters. They must be free to support any group or opinion. The administration has interfered with their freedom. They will eventually criminalise them, which will go against the spirit of the July mass-uprising."

Mahir Shahriar Reza, president of a faction of Chhatra Union, said, "We think it's an autocratic decision of the administration, a violation of constitutional rights. It is a part of a scheme to depoliticise the educational institutions."

A student of the 19th batch said, "We strongly condemn the decision and urge the authorities to change it. Otherwise, we will go to court if necessary."

Noted Supreme Court Lawyer ZI Khan Panna said, "Who gave them the right to decide what a student should do or not do outside the campus?

"We got independence because of student politics. Any adult individual can harbour any ideology. It is their constitutional right. They are not above the constitution of Bangladesh."

Anu Muhammad, former professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, said, "To be able to do politics and express opinions is a bare minimum democratic right of a citizen. Buet authorities are behaving like a dictator."