DU spoils campus to help BCL rally
Md Moniruzzaman :
The academic environment at Dhaka University (DU) was disrupted due to a large influx of vehicles and outsiders from various other educational institutions and areas who gathered there to join the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday.
As a result, DU students encountered numerous challenges and were compelled to attend the rally organised by BCL members.
The DU campus resembled a chaotic “bus stand” as numerous buses and microbuses occupied most of the available spaces and along the streets.
Despite the congestion, the DU Proctor claimed that it did not significantly disrupt the university’s primary circulation.
From the earlymorning, leaders and activists from all 63 districts began thronging the university premises as the BCL rally was organised at the nearby Suhrawardy Uddyan, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the gathering as the Chief Guest.
Simultaneously, BCL leaders and activists who had travelled from outside areas congregated inside the hall, utilising washroom facilities, consumed foods in the canteens, and accessing other amenities.
The increased presence of outsiders placed additional strain on the DU students, resulting in food shortages and various other difficulties.
When questioned about any measures taken to regulate the entry of outsiders into the hall, Sir A F Rahman Hall Provost Prof Dr. KM Saiful Islam Khan remarked, “There was no specific plan in this regard.
The convergence of a large number of people has given rise to some issues.”
On the flip side, Muktizoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall canteens did not prepare any food for their own students, despite accepting advance orders to cook meals for the visiting BCL leaders and activists from outside.
Furthermore, the university premises were inundated with plastic bags and disposable food containers.
Students from various halls at DU were compelled to attend the rally, and evidence in the form of audio recordings and screenshots from messaging groups revealed threats made by BCL members.
These threats indicated that anyone failing to participate in the event would either be evicted from the hall or face other consequences, with no room for compromise.
“Chhatra League is disrupting the academic environment by transforming the campus into a transportation hub and littering it with garbage in the name of a mass gathering.
They have also coerced students to attend the event, making students feel like hostages in their own campus,” remarked Asif Mahmud, a student of the Linguistics Department.
Earlier, on Saturday, when asked about the situation, BCL President Saddam Hussein stated at a press conference that no one would be forced into attending the event.
According to him, students would attend the rally out of their own love and admiration for BCL and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Regarding the campus environment, the BCL president asserted that they had initially promised to arrange the programme while prioritising the learning environment.
However, the subsequent publication of their plan revealed that they had indeed chosen the campus as a parking lot. Students, however, expressed deep frustration at the condition of the campus, with some venting their anger on social media platforms.
“There is nothing to add. It is disgraceful. Such a situation is unheard of anywhere in the world.
Our students are being treated unfairly,” Dr Md Kamrul Hassan, a professor in the Physics Department, commented on the campus situation.
“Our students should have been studying and conducting research.
They should have a conducive environment.
We have failed to provide that.
We are subjecting them to this situation.
It is a grave injustice, but no one is speaking out against it.
The teachers are observing, the students are observing, everyone is simply watching,” he continued.
Furthermore, the Jummah prayer in some halls, including Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall and Masterda Surja Sen Hall, was held earlier, lasting from 30 minutes to an hour, in order to accommodate the BCL rally.
Asked about all these mismanagements, DU Proctor Prof Maksudur Rahman claimed that there was no disruption to our main circulation.
“Different organisations usually keep their vehicles here during rally.
No one takes permission usually.
All vehicles were secured with the assistance of law enforcers,” he added.
Asking about Hall, the proctor said, “It is not my responsibility to see the hall.
There may have been arrangements made by Hall administration.”
