Why with each passing day feuding within Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) cadres centering on violent clashes with the opposition and for controlling universities with the backing of the government in its dying days. The students as thugs by the government cannot see beyond their immediate gain.
The latest horrific confrontation at Dhaka University took place on Tuesday afternoon. In the incident at least 15 Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists, including president and general secretary were injured when BCL men attacked them on the Dhaka University campus. The JCD president and general secretary received serious injuries and are now under treatment while others were given primary treatment at different hospitals. About 35 JCD leaders were going to the university to meet the vice-chancellor, proctor and Dhaka University Journalists Association (DUTA) members as a pre-scheduled programme. The BCL leaders and activists attacked them with native weapons.
Earlier the two groups of Eden Mohila College unit of the BCL, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, has allegedly been cropped up as the college unit president Tamanna Jesmine Riva on August 23 allegedly tortured two students of the college in a dormitory after confining them to a room for six and a half hours. There have been rumours against the BCL college unit for quite some time about extortion, seat-allotment business and forcing students to engage in illicit activities. There were allegations that the BCL leaders collect Tk 8,000-10,000 at first from the students for seat allotment and also collect Tk 2,000 per month from them. The allegations have surfaced again due to infighting in the ruling party student wing’s college unit. A majority of the BCL leadership also maintain that their leaders are behind these activities.
Meanwhile, the central committee of BCL on Monday expelled 17 leaders and activists of its Eden Mohila College unit for their alleged involvement in anti-disciplinary activities. These 17 students, who had brought some serious allegations against the college unit president Riva and general secretary Razia Sultana. However, the committee didn’t take any step to investigate the allegations, including blackmailing students into carrying out unethical activities, hall seat trading, extortion, and torture. The question is why one group expelled en masse, while none of the other group. Expelled leaders and activists also asked whether the central committee agreed with ‘injustice’.
Allegedly the post-independence BCL has a history of doing foul and terrorising the university authorities to submission. They are misbehaving their authority and influence, selling the name and fame of top party leaders and doing illegal business disguising as their loved boys and girls. At times the BCL turns out to be a terror gang. They routinely engage in fighting between BCL groups, with political rivals and anyone who might object to their misdeeds. They are known for mischief — for appointment and promotion of teachers, admission of students, selection of tenders and so many other things the students should not do. But they go scot-free and commit more crimes.
In a nation of conscientious educated people, destroying education only to remain in power would have raised angry protest. But this is not so in Bangladesh where many so-called educated people think that education is for job and serving whoever are in power.
In no other country vice-chancellors would have held their positions so shamelessly in such undignified circumstances. In Bangladesh, they exist only for good shelter and comfortable salary.
