American-Austrian actor Theodore Bikel said “No doubt, unity is something to be desired, to be striven for, but it cannot be willed by mere declarations.” And I figure out that this is being implemented and proven thoroughly by some dedicated students of Jagannath University. They have been helping in ongoing global crisis even not being agreed to call it help but gift as brothers and sisters. Their this initiative has been encouraging many to do betterment for hundreds of low-income people including students, especially those who are depending on their daily income to survive, are in a bleak situation due to the government shutdown standing above party, division etc.
Some students of the university under the online platform titled ‘JnU students stand side by side to tackle Coronavirus’ collecting funds from economically established seniors, teachers, student leaders even current students who are also getting involved in the initiative encouraging and helping in fund raising to tackle coronavirus outbreak.
However, taking life at risk some of these students have been staying in the university area. It is also noticeable that some of them even pass their daily life travelling different districts for distributing essential commodities among marginalised people. They also help students as theuniversityclosuresleave many students who do tuition, proofreading as part time jobs with no way of supporting themselves.
As a part of the initiative the volunteers used to want students who are in suffering to inform them privately for the gift(help) they are providing then the concern volunteers of the initiative hiding information of help seeker usually post on online platform seeking help then who are agree to help, systematically help the students in needs.
Tousib Mahmud Shohan, a volunteer of the initiative said, “Primarily I didn’t think we would as much responses we are getting, through the platform in short time we can help each others.” Following the initiative more students are gradually joining the welfare initiative. Besides, many teachers are seen inspiring volunteers and personally helping to proceed the initiative. Students came forward to protect each other as once again as they did during the crisis in 1971 to save the life of our people. It’s the good sign once again emerging in our society.
Not only in Jagannath University, in every university, students are standing for marginalised people, for instance, a Dhaka University student named Tanbir Hasan Shaikat along with his friends is cooking food at TSC premises for marginalized people, through the initiative they are feeding around 200 people daily. Different student organisations are also helping people during COVID-19 outbreaks.
The system and attitude of the state also are changing gradually, on April 6, UK based newspaper The Guardian published a story with the caption “Bangladesh sends food aid to brothels as women fight to survive lockdown”, Where they reported Bangladesh government started sending emergency food and aid to the tens of thousands of women working in the country’s commercial sex industry as brothels across the country close.
This crisis is as well helping us to change our outlook towards these families. Hope this learning will sustain and crisis will be end soon. We have been learning from it as Boris Yeltsin said “I understand that it’s hard for everyone, but one cannot give in to emotions… we’ll have to draw lessons from the current crisis and now we’ll have to work on overcoming it.
Rabiul Alam
Final Year student
English Department
Jagannath University
