Why is Jagannath University silent on BCL clashes?

Following the violent infighting of Jagannath University (JnU) unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League a few days ago, the central committee of Awami League’s student wing suspended their activities on the campus. It was assumed that the JnU Chhatra League would practice restraint after the punitive measure. However, it seems they are not familiar with the word “restraint,” otherwise they would not have repeated the violence on Monday. At least 40 people, including several journalists, were injured as the leaders and activists of two factions of the JnU unit of BCL clashed again on that day. They exploded around 7 or 8 crude bombs on the campus too.

Newspaper reports say the supporters of Tariqul Islam, president of JnU’s suspended BCL committee, and general secretary Sheikh Joynul Abedin Rasel locked in clashes activists and leaders aspiring for the posts, on Monday morning. This left at least 15 of both sides injured. Supporters of the suspended committee’s leaders took position in front of the central Shaheed Minar as the supporters of ‘rebel’ leaders left the campus gate area. General students were attacked when they tried to take photos with their mobile phones near the new building on the campus. At least five students were injured in the attack. The supporters of the president and the general secretary left the campus around 3:00pm and chased the ‘rebel’ leaders and activists, who took position in front of the university’s main gate. Regular academic activities and business in the area were disrupted.

The prime minister, also president of the Awami League, handed books over to the BCL men and asked them to focus on their studies. The JnU BCL men have chosen arms over those books. On the same day, two factions of the Chhatra League of MC College unit in Sylhet locked in clashes at a programme organised to welcome spring. How can leaders and activists of an organisation, who claim to be idealists, engage in such violence and attack journalists on duty? What kind of ideals does this reflect?

Earlier, the groups of Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit Chhatra League clashed over dividing up the money received as bribes from the ‘appointment business.’ The university authorities have formed a committee to investigate into the incident. The JU authorities remain silent. The JnU unit of BCL men would not have clashed had the JU authorities took punitive action in the earlier incident.

The Chhatra League leaders claim, unlike the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, all of their leaders are students. They are happy that the JCD central leaders are not being able to compete in the Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU) polls due to the age limit. But the preposterous incidents on Jagannath University and Jahangirnagar University campuses are unacceptable. What can the leaders and activists of a student organisation contribute to the country when they repeatedly clash with each other over leadership of the university unit?

In 2012, the BCL men of the Dhaka University hacked a tailor, Biswajit, to death, over the opposition party’s shutdown. The perpetrators were brought to book by the court. But it seems this did not teach any lesson to the Jagannath University unit Chhatra League.
We demand proper investigation of the incident and that the culprits be brought to book.