Politics at DU: The old guard gives way to young blood

Dhaka University’s rules stipulate that a student cannot remain a regular student for more than eight years – six years for graduation and two years for post-graduation degrees.

They also state that irregular students are not allowed into the dormitories.

As the university authorities strictly follow the rules after the political change on August 5, student groups, especially BNP student front Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), are under pressure to expel irregular students from their committees.

A large number of irregular students, mostly members of ruling party organizations, had occupied the halls for several years in the past. Members and supporters of the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, the student wing of the Awami League, had enjoyed this unnecessary privilege before Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in early August.

BCL is now banned for its involvement in brutal and deadly attacks on student protesters during the mass uprising in July. The reasons behind its ban included the infamous “Gono Rooms” and “Guest Rooms”, which were once used by student leaders to exploit young people. Such applications were removed after the transition.

On the other hand, the JCD has been known to keep seniors and disorganized students on its committees for years; This issue has made headlines many times.

As Bangladesh’s political spectrum undergoes reforms to ensure that rules are followed properly without any discrimination, student groups are also feeling the need for change.

People interviewed for this report said their organizations also tried to replace older leaders with younger ones, in accordance with the rules.

Mahbub Alam Shahin, a 2012-13 student of DU, was appointed as the head of JCD’s Shahidullah Hall unit in 2020. He couldn’t stay there because BCL wouldn’t allow him to enter. He still can’t stay there because he is no longer a regular student.

Shahin is the youngest among the 26 presidents and general secretaries of the 13 JCD hall units. Others are not allowed into their halls either, because all the rooms are used by regular students.

Saidul Islam, general secretary of JCD’s Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall unit, said, “It is high time for a change in student politics in line with the expectations of general students. The high command should form JCD committees comprising regular students.”

Like Shahin, Saidul cannot go to the hall to engage in political activities.

Not only hall unit leaders, JCD DU unit President Ganesh Chandra Roy Shahosh and General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon are also irregular students of 2010-11 and 2011-12 sessions respectively. They were elected leaders of a seven-member committee on March 1 this year.

“We are considering creating hall committees consisting of regular boarding students. We hope to be able to do this soon,” Shipon said.

JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin told The Daily Star that they had received a “strong and clear message” from BNP acting president Tarique Rahman to form hall committees comprising regular students.

“We established a team of 38 people to form committees in all units, including universities. Activists who engage in student-friendly politics on their campuses will be elected as leaders.”

Meanwhile, after nearly thirty-five years, Jamaat-e-Islami’s student front Islami Chhatra Shibir has revealed that it has a secret committee in DU.

Immediately after the meeting between student organizations and the university administration on September 21, Abu Shadik Kayem said that Shibir was the president of the DU unit. A day later SM Farhad was announced as the secretary.

Shadik was a student of the 2016-17 semester, while Farhad was a student of the 2017-18 semester. Shibir later announced that a 14-member committee would be formed on October 2.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Shadik said that eight of the 14 university unit leaders were regular students.

He said he and the undergraduate students will soon announce their hall committee because they “respect the expectations of the shared students.”

Some leftist student organizations have faculty-based committees, but most do not have hall committees. One chapter of the Chhatra League has a committee only in Jagannath Hall.

DU Chhatra Union general secretary Maeen Ahmed told The Daily: “Chhatra Union leaders and activists have occupied the halls for the last 16 years and forced the students to engage only in BCL politics. That is why we could not form committees in the halls.” Star.

“Now that there is a pleasant atmosphere in the halls, we will try to form committees with regular students there.”

While Maeen is a student of the 2017-18 session, Meghmallar Bosu, the chairman of her committee, is a student of the 2015-2016 session.

Another chapter of Chhatra Union also has a committee in DU. However, Chairman Kazi Rakib later resigned from his post due to personal reasons. Co-hosts Mamun Rana and Sala Uddin Amman are from the 2017-2018 session.

Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (Marxism) President Salman Siddiqui said that the students were protesting against the removal of the “Gono Room” and “Guest Room” culture in the halls and the distribution of seats to the students by the hall authorities.

“The administration has recently allocated places in the halls to regular students. We appreciate this initiative. The administration and students need to be vigilant to avoid creating an undemocratic environment.”

He said they would form committees consisting of regular students who would “work for student rights.”

DU Chhatra Federation convener Armanul Hoque said all the leaders of their 13-member committee were regular students. “We will follow this trend when forming committees.”