Some Dhaka University students on Wednesday night staged a procession on the campus, protesting at pasting posters by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal marking ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ with the image of former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Earlier on the day, there were discussions and criticisms on social media on different Dhaka University Facebook groups on this issue.
At around 9:30pm, students from Bijoy Ekattor Hall first brought out a protest procession and they were later joined by students from Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Kabi Jasimuddin Hall, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall and other dormitories.
During the protest, they chanted slogans against student politics. The march began from the Hall Para area marched through Mall Chattar, VC Chattar, and circled the Anti-Violence Raju Memorial Sculpture and TSC areas.
During their protest, Bijoy Ekattor Hall provost Professor SM Ali Reza tried to calm them down.
‘I understand your concerns. Submit a petition to the university administration, and I will accompany you,’ he said.
Later, they submitted a petition to the provost where they demanded an investigation and show-cause notices served on those involved in conducting political activities.
The students also demanded the immediate removal of all political banners, posters, and festoons inside the hall. Subsequently, these were removed from Bijoy Ekattor Hall.
Dhaka University proctor associate professor Saifuddin Ahmed visited Bijoy Ekattor Hall at around 11:00pm.
He said, ‘We have not yet established a final framework for student politics. We have no issues with the 7th November observance or the posters featuring Ziaur Rahman. We will discuss further and make a decision on this matter.’
Earlier, the Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Huq Hall administration imposed a ban on putting up any posters on or around the hall walls.
In light of the demand for banning student politics at Dhaka University and the issue of Chhatra Dal’s posters, the Bangladesh Students Union and Socialist Student Front issued a joint statement.
In their joint statement, they said that they believed that the controversy surrounding the poster of Chhatra Dal is unwarranted and intentionally motivated.
They said that they had previously seen that leaders and activists of Chhatra Shibir and the former dictatorship-aligned Chhatra League played active roles in advocating banning student politics at the university.
They are attempting to block others from engaging in politics to clear the way for their own political activities, the parties assumed.
Regarding the protest over their posters on the campus, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·, ‘Chhatra Dal put up posters on campus in observance of November 7. There was no personal promotion or party agenda in this. It was a campaign to commemorate a historical revolution of the nation.’
Clarifying their stance on the issue, he said, ‘We do not want any conflict with general students. There may be criticism about the way the posters were put up, but we do not support tearing them down.’
