‘A manifestation of intolerance’
The brutal killing of Buet student Abrar Fahad has sparked protests by students across the country, demanding justice and that educational institutions be cleansed of dirty politics.
“No educational institution in the country has an environment conducive to learning,” said Abu Talha Abdullah, convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad’s Narayanganj district unit, at a demonstration in front of Narayanganj Shaheed Minar.
Whenever any such incident happens, it is somehow linked to Jamaat-Shibir, he said, referring to the questioning of Abrar by leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Buet unit, hours before he was found dead at a university dormitory.
Talking to reporters earlier, Buet BCL leaders said Abrar had been called in for “questioning” over his alleged involvement with Shibir, student front of Jamaat-e-Islami.
“We can see and hear but we cannot say anything. What kind of a country we are living in? What kind of nation are we?” Abdullah said yesterday.
Law enforcers suspected that the 22-year-old student of Buet’s electrical and electronic engineering department had been attacked in response to his recent Facebook posts -- critical of some recent deals that the government signed with India.
In Rajshahi, several hundred students protested for the second consecutive day, starting 11am.
The agitators took position in front of Rajshahi University’s main entrance and blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway for an hour.
They demanded punishment of the killers, a ban on BCL’s political activities, removal of university officials involved in corruption and security of general students on university campus.
Students of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University in Dinajpur and Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur also held demonstrations protesting the murder of Abrar.
Protests will continue until killers of Abrar are punished, students said.
Meanwhile, a press release was issued by Dhaka University’s Teachers’ Association in condemnation of the murder. “It is unfortunate that intolerance has been practised at educational institutions over the last few decades,” the association said in the statement.
The murder of Abrar is a manifestation of intolerance, it said.
In the statement signed by the association’s president Maksud Kamal, DU teachers urged politicians, free-thinkers, students, fellow teachers, guardians and civil society members to help reinstate an education-friendly, safe and humane environment.
Students in Tangail, Patuakhali, Gazipur and Cumilla also took to the streets demanding justice for Abrar.
Meanwhile, social media yesterday was abuzz with posts -- from people of different walks of life -- critical of student politics and the murder.
“Will it be much of a problem if student politics is banned?” one wondered on Facebook.
A journalist posted, “Protest must go on.”
A leader of the ruling Awami League wrote, “I am ashamed. Such barbarism cannot be accepted.”
A platform of guardians, students and teachers called a protest programme today around 11am, in front of Raju Memorial Sculptureon Dhaka University campus.
(Our correspondents from Narayanganj, Rajshahi University, Dinajpur, Tangail, Gazipur, Patuakhali and Cumilla contributed to this report.)
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