Staff Reporter :
Corruption watchdog the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has strongly condemned the recent attack on students demanding quota reform by members of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the watchdog called for exemplary punishment for the attackers and urged a peaceful and constitutional resolution to the ongoing crisis.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB, highlighted that students have been conducting peaceful demonstrations for the past two weeks, demanding reforms to the existing quota system.
Initially, the government exhibited tolerance towards these gatherings, which instilled hope among the public.
However, on Monday, brutal attacks were launched on protesting students at various educational institutions, including Dhaka University.
Female students were not spared, facing open assault and humiliation.
The statement also addressed the tragic death of a protesting student in Rangpur on Tuesday.
TIB expressed shock, anger, and disappointment over the attacks and the death, urging that the perpetrators be identified and brought to justice, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman emphasized that the government should not dismiss the students’ legitimate demands under the pretext of court orders.
Instead, he called for a rational, timely, peaceful, and constitutional solution to the quota reform movement.
“TIB expects the government to refrain from escalating the conflict and to avoid suppressing the students’ rightful movement,” Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said.
“The government should ensure an environment conducive to peaceful protests and fulfill its constitutional responsibilities.”
Additionally, TIB urged the protesters to continue their efforts in the spirit of the Liberation War, ensuring that neither the war nor the freedom fighters are disrespected during their demonstrations.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman criticized the government and law enforcement agencies for failing to prevent the attacks on universities in Dhaka, Chattogram, Jahangirnagar, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Cumilla by government-backed student organizations and external attackers.
“We watched with concern the sinister attempts to blame the violence on protesters, despite the perpetrators being the initial aggressors,” he said.
“We are appalled and stunned by such attacks by external vandalists on university campuses in the dead of night, 53 years after independence. We do not want a repetition of such violence.”