Let students decide on hall politics at DU

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal  and Islami Chhatra Shibir yesterday urged the Dhaka University authorities to seek opinions from general students on  politics in residential halls.

Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, led by former members of Students Against Discrimination, said they support the ban on student politics in halls and academic spaces.

The student leaders made the remarks after a meeting organised by the DU authorities with 23 organisations to discuss hall politics.

Early Saturday, DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed announced that all forms of politics will remain banned in halls, as per the July 17, 2024 framework.

Meanwhile, five left-leaning student organisations -- Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Biplobi Chhatra Moitree, Bangladesh Chhatra League (Bangladesh Jasod) and two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra Union -- walked out, protesting DU's invitation to Shibir.

The Paribesh Parishad, a platform of DU authorities and students, banned Shibir after the fall of military dictator HM Ershad in 1990, citing its affiliation with a party that opposed Bangladesh's independence and supported the Pakistan army during the Liberation War.

The DU authorities convened the meeting after protests broke out around Friday midnight, demanding a ban on hall politics. The agitation followed the unveiling of hall committees by the DU JCD's convening body.

After the meeting yesterday, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan told reporters that student organisations had provided vital suggestions and wanted to continue dialogue.

He said preparations were underway for the Dhaka University Central Students' Union election, and full participation of student organisations was essential. "We want to ensure it is peaceful and that student organisations don't end up in any sort of confrontation with the general students."

Central JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib said DU should frame a policy on hall politics based on students' opinions.

SM Farhad, president of DU Chhatra Shibir, said his party proposed email voting with a simple "yes-no" format on hall politics.

Abdul Kader, convener of DU Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, said, "We made it clear that we do not support any political structure or activities in the halls or academic spaces."

While DU Chhatra Union was initially eager for dialogue on hall politics, they walked out of the meeting due to the presence of Shibir members.

DU Chhatra Union President Meghmallar Bosu said his organisation would not negotiate with those who patronised the acts of genocide in 1971 and 2024.

"But one thing must be made clear: under no circumstances should political space be given to those involved in covert activities. They exploit the identity of general students … Whenever they face political challenges, they use the name of general students to push their agenda, pressuring the university administration into taking various actions."