A tribunal has observed that the killing of Jahangirnagar University English department student Zubair Ahmed has exposed the absence of idealism in Bangladesh’s current politics.
The university authorities are rendered helpless in controlling the fallout of such politics, the tribunal said.
Zubair was thrashed and hacked to death by a faction of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Jan 8, 2012.
Zubair, also a BCL member, was killed by those of its rival faction. The BCL is the ruling Awami League’s student affiliate.
Dhaka’s Fourth Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced five to death and six to life in prison on Sunday. Two others were acquitted.
All of them are from the 37th batch of the university.
Judge ABM Nizamul Haq’s observation reflected on the overall condition of Bangladesh’s current national and student politics.
Investigation Officer (IO) Mir Shahin Shah Parvez revealed the disorderly and amoral politics sans idealism, the tribunal observed.
The IO submitted the report within four months of the killing.
Based on remarks of IO Shahin on Ashiqul Islam Ashique of Zoology and Rashedul Islam Raju of Philosophy, who were sentenced to death, the tribunal commented on the state of student politics.
Ashique and Raju, along with Zubair, had been in Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student affiliate of the erstwhile ruling BNP, when they were admitted to the university in 2008.
They joined BCL after Awami League came to the power in 2009.
File Photo
The investigation pointed on the clashes between BCL rivals, the way they torture those loyal to other student organisations, their extortions, the way they fight to win tender bids, sexual harassment of female students and indecent behaviour with the teachers.
The report said even the top policy making authority of the university, the Syndicate, failed to prevent these because of political interference.
In the verdict, the judge said the killing of Zubair was linked to such sordid considerations.
“Violence, brutality, destroying peace, anarchy, conflicts, inclemency and barbarism conducted using muscle power create severe obstacle in education-friendly environment in the universities, which is unwanted by all.”
The absence of trial for murder or other criminal acts in the universities in recent past encourage repetition of such activities, the tribunal observed.
The tribunal expressed hope that the authorities of the universities make modern code of conduct to prevent murders and criminal acts.
It also emphasised the need for media awareness in publishing news on cases on trial.
It said the media should be more careful while publishing such news.0;
Source: Bd news24