No chance for repeat of Abrar Fahad incident
Shahariar Islam Sovon :
Leaders of various students’ organisations welcomed the High Court order staying the effectiveness of BUET authorities’ notice curbing political activities on campus and General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Sheikh Wali Asif Enan said Abrar’s killing has stunned the nation and this type of incident will not happen again.
In his response to inquiries about the Abrar Fahad murder, Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Chattra League, told to The New Nation that while he regrets the incident, he firmly believes that it will not be repeated, emphasizing that an exception does not establish a precedent.
He further asserted the commitment to closely monitor all student political activities at BUET and stressed the necessity of complete cooperation from BUET authorities.
The majority of BUET students expressed to The New Nation their lack of confidence in the authenticity of promises made by student leaders regarding politics on the BUET campus.
Instead, they voiced feelings of fear and a strong desire to avoid a recurrence of an incident like Abrar Fahad’s tragic death.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League Sheikh Wali Asif Enan welcomed the High Court’s decision as a restoration of constitutional rights previously curtailed by the university’s administrative policies.
Enan expressed optimism about the resumption of regular student political activities at Buet, pledging to pursue this objective in accordance with the High Court’s directive and Buet’s ordinances.
“We definitely want that democratic atmosphere is ensured in all educational institutions as we have a very glorious history of student politics in the country.
The right of students to do politics and express their opinion must be ensured in all campuses including BUET”, Enan told The New Nation.
The pro-Awami League student organisation also demanded that Buet authorities take steps to arrange elections to its student union.
Additionally, it demanded that BUET reverse its decision to cancel seat allotment to BCL central committee leader and BUET student Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi.
Student politics was banned on the campus after the murder of a second-year student named Abrar Fahad by members of Bangladesh Chhatra League at the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall on October 7, 2019.
BCL’s call for the return of student politics to Buet comes amid recent student demonstrations against Thursday’s gathering of Chhatra League activists on the campus.
