Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ruling Awami League, engaged in factional clashes at almost all public universities and colleges round the year over establishing supremacy on the campuses leading to closure of the educational institutions.
Academic activities of the institutions are being hampered seriously due to the closure of the varsities and colleges, according to general students.
In a latest incident, on Saturday, the authorities of the Islamic University (IU)
declared the varsity closed for an indefinite period following clashes between two factions of the BCL.
On December 17, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between two factions of BCL on the IU campus over tenders of several construction works of the university.
Before the IU, at least ten public varsities and colleges were faced closure this year due to campus violence by BCL.
The varsity and colleges that faced closure after the BCL infighting were Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Chittagong University, Jahangirnagar University (JU), Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College (SSMC), Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (SZMC), Bogra, Barisal Government Brojo Mohun (BM) College,.
“BCL infighting is seriously disrupting our academic life. We are becoming the hostage of BCL’s unruly activities which is unacceptable to us,” Al-Mamun, a student of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall of IU, told The New Nation on Saturday evening.
When asked, Jakir Hossain, general secretary of BCL, told The New Nation on Saturday that BCL is a big student organisation having millions of supporters and activists across the country.
It has been working for the welfare of the student since its inception.
Denying factional clashes on campuses, he said, “Our organisation is well disciplined and there are no factions. But, it has been observed that sometimes students are using the flavor of BCL when they engaged in campus violence.
He, however, claimed that they impose organizational punishment on activists involved in campus violence or anti-organizational activities.
“There are many instances of such punishment,” he added.
When contacted, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid termed it as political problem, saying it is very unfortunate for all of us.
“We guardians don’t want to see unrest on college and public university campuses as we have to spend their educational expenditure,” he told The New Nation on Saturday night.
He said they have taken various measures to ensure friendly atmosphere on the campuses so that the student can complete their education smoothly on time.
“I’m really embarrassed over the activities of student organisation. No government wants to witness repetition of such incidents on the public university,” the Education Minister said.
Replying to a query about the latest mayhem by BCL unit of Dhaka College in city and Islamic University in Kushtia he said, “I talked to the Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University and requested him to bring back congenial atmosphere on the campus.”
The Education Minister sought all out cooperation from the students, teachers and academic personalities to protect the university from violence.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ruling Awami League, engaged in factional clashes at almost all public universities and colleges round the year over establishing supremacy on the campuses leading to closure of the educational institutions.
Academic activities of the institutions are being hampered seriously due to the closure of the varsities and colleges, according to general students.
In a latest incident, on Saturday, the authorities of the Islamic University (IU)
declared the varsity closed for an indefinite period following clashes between two factions of the BCL.
On December 17, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between two factions of BCL on the IU campus over tenders of several construction works of the university.
Before the IU, at least ten public varsities and colleges were faced closure this year due to campus violence by BCL.
The varsity and colleges that faced closure after the BCL infighting were Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Chittagong University, Jahangirnagar University (JU), Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College (SSMC), Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (SZMC), Bogra, Barisal Government Brojo Mohun (BM) College,.
“BCL infighting is seriously disrupting our academic life. We are becoming the hostage of BCL’s unruly activities which is unacceptable to us,” Al-Mamun, a student of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall of IU, told The New Nation on Saturday evening.
When asked, Jakir Hossain, general secretary of BCL, told The New Nation on Saturday that BCL is a big student organisation having millions of supporters and activists across the country.
It has been working for the welfare of the student since its inception.
Denying factional clashes on campuses, he said, “Our organisation is well disciplined and there are no factions. But, it has been observed that sometimes students are using the flavor of BCL when they engaged in campus violence.
He, however, claimed that they impose organizational punishment on activists involved in campus violence or anti-organizational activities.
“There are many instances of such punishment,” he added.
When contacted, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid termed it as political problem, saying it is very unfortunate for all of us.
“We guardians don’t want to see unrest on college and public university campuses as we have to spend their educational expenditure,” he told The New Nation on Saturday night.
He said they have taken various measures to ensure friendly atmosphere on the campuses so that the student can complete their education smoothly on time.
“I’m really embarrassed over the activities of student organisation. No government wants to witness repetition of such incidents on the public university,” the Education Minister said.
Replying to a query about the latest mayhem by BCL unit of Dhaka College in city and Islamic University in Kushtia he said, “I talked to the Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University and requested him to bring back congenial atmosphere on the campus.”
The Education Minister sought all out cooperation from the students, teachers and academic personalities to protect the university from violence.
