Take action against the attackers

We condemn the attack on Ducsu Vice President Nurul Haque Nur by the ruling party men during Eid vacation. Reportedly, Nur along with his friends were attacked with rods, steel pipes, and machetes allegedly by local Chhatra League and Jubo League activists in Patuakhali’s Galachipa while they were going to Nur’s sister’s house. According to Nur, after the assault, the attackers confined them to a shop for some time and even prevented him from getting treatment at local hospitals. Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Since being elected Ducsu VP on June 30 last year, Nur has been attacked eight times by activists of Chhatra League and other ruling party affiliated organisations. He was even beaten up for joining an event as innocuous as an iftar party last Ramadan.

What’s more, he had been threatened by the ruling party men and members of law enforcement agencies several times. Nur alleged all this in a recent press conference. The question that naturally arises: Is he being targeted for being a leader of the Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, the platform that spearheaded the quota reform movement? This platform has earned a reputation for standing up for the general students’ rights during many past student movements. Nur’s claim that he and activists of his organisation face the wrath of the ruling party men for protesting their wrongdoings must have some ground. The government must look into such allegations.

Frequent attacks on an elected vice president of Ducsu only goes to show the lack of tolerance of the ruling party men towards dissenting voices. This is not acceptable in a democracy. The government must ensure a democratic environment where dissenting voices are not met with repression by those in power.  In this particular case, the law enforcement agencies must play their due role and take action against those who attacked Nur and others. We also hope that those who previously attacked Nur would also be brought to justice. Nur must be protected from what appears to be targeted attacks by members of the ruling party. We appeal to the prime minister to intervene and stop these senseless acts of political vengeance by members of her party.