DU Correspondent :
A section of Dhaka University (DU) students on Wednesday morning protested the recent attack on teachers and students of different universities.
Under the banner of “All combined departments”, the protesting students formed a human chain in front of Central Shaheed Minar in the capital demanding exemplary punishment to the attackers.
The protesters were carrying various placards condemning the recent attacks and demanded unconditional release of quota reformists and imprisoned DU students and safety of the students of Dhaka and other varsities.
At the programme, Nahid Hasan, student of DU Sociology Department, said, we urge the government to withdraw all the cases filed against the reformists with different police stations during the quota reform movement in April.
`Those who carried out the inhuman attacks on students and teachers of DU, Rajshahi and Chattogram universities will have to be identified and brought to justice,’ he added.
Rushad Faridi, Assistant Professor of DU Economics Department, was also present in the programme.
Meanwhile, students and teachers of DU History Department also formed a human-chain at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla on the campus, protesting the assault on a fellow student of their department.
Security of the students on the campus and awarding exemplary punishment to the attackers were the agenda of the programme.
Tanjir Hossain Sarker, a second-year master’s student of the same department, was among teachers and students, who were allegedly assaulted by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists recently while protesting the arrest of quota reform activists.
Condemning the assault, Mehedi Hasan, a student of the department said, “It is the responsibility of the university authority to ensure the security of its students. But, they had failed to do so.”
“Now in the country, people are being attacked when they speak for their rights and when people show solidarity.”
“If democracy exists, why people cannot stand for their rights?” he questioned.
While speaking, Professor Mohammad Abul Kawser of the department urged the government to take necessary steps to consider the logical demand of the students.
On Sunday, three DU teachers Professor Fahmidul Haq, Associate Professor Abdur Razzaque Khan and Associate Professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan were assaulted by BCL leaders and activists on DU campus when they joined student’s demonstration and tried to save students from attacks.
On June 30, seven members of the quota platform, including its joint convener Nurul Haque Nur, were reportedly beaten by the BCL activists in front of the DU Central Library.
The attack took place when the quota reform leaders were taking preparation to hold the prescheduled press conference in front of the DU Central Library building to brief their next course of action as the government failed to issue a gazette notification by their deadline.
