Stormtroopers in DU campus!

The front page of most leading dailies yesterday was splashed with the news of the horrific attack by Chhatra League men on Dhaka University students demonstrating in front of the vice-chancellor's office on Tuesday. At least 50 students and two campus-based journalists were injured—one of whom sustained brain injuries—as they faced the wrath of Chhatra League men in the second such attack in just eight days. The agitating students were pressing for a four-point demand including punishment of BCL men for harassing female students a few days ago.

We are not in the least bit surprised by the audacity of the student wing of the ruling party to beat up students mercilessly with iron rods, cricket stumps and sticks. That so many college campuses in the country are being held hostage to BCL's politics—seriously affecting the physical security of students and creating an unstable learning environment—is well known. But despite a long rap sheet, BCL's grip over educational institutions is clearly far from weakening—thanks to the privilege of impunity they enjoy—as Tuesday's shameful incident shows. The ruling party, law enforcement, and the authorities of DU have continued to turn a blind eye towards the acts of violence perpetrated by BCL on campus which is why the latter feels emboldened to beat people to a pulp because they know that they will never face any consequences.

The fact of the matter is that BCL had no authority whatsoever to intervene in a situation that involves the agitating students and the university authorities. The matter should have been dealt with by the protesters and the proctorial team only. Campus law enforcement could also have been brought in to tackle the situation. Now, yet another committee has been formed to investigate the incident but we are concerned about the neutrality of the committee given the influence that BCL wields and DU authorities' inaction in the past.