If the 'politics' is closed on campus, the coordinators can run the program?
September 21, 20245 Mins Read

Jumbangla Desk: Discussions are going on about the initial decision taken by the University Syndicate to stop 'party politics' in the Dhaka University campus. On Thursday (September 19), the university's syndicate meeting decided that all forms of party politics will be suspended in Dhaka University until further notice. Not only students, teachers and staff also cannot do party politics.

Dhaka University syndicate members are describing the matter as a preliminary decision.

Syndicate member Prof. Abu Hossain Muhammad Ahsan said, later a committee will discuss with everyone and take the final decision.

It is known that the question of whether there will be party student politics in Dhaka University is being discussed for a long time. Now the decision of a new syndicate meeting has fueled this discussion.

But what does 'party politics stop' actually mean here? Does this mean there will be no march-meeting-gathering on campus? There can be no student organization in the name of the parties on campus? Or will they not be able to work? How will it be applied? And if the party politics is stopped, then the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement of Dhaka University will be able to maintain their campus-based activities? Even if it as what?

Proctor of Dhaka University Professor Saifuddin Ahmed said, 'There are some discussions left in this regard.

So I can't say anything in detail at the moment. I can give details when announced. You will know in two days.'
Since the quota reform movement, the coordinators have been holding various programs and meetings in Dhaka University area.

Even, many of them are giving different political statements. Therefore, Saifuddin Ahmed did not agree to say anything now about whether a separate decision will be taken regarding the coordinators or how their programs will be seen.

However, Professor Kazi Maruful Islam of Dhaka University's Department of Development Studies said that it is not yet clear to him what the university syndicate actually means by the term "political shutdown". He asked, what is the meaning of this 'politics off' theory? He did not want to comment on the matter until seeing the syndicate's decision in writing. Attempts to contact the Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the university could not be reached to know about the matter.

Abu Hossain Muhammad Ahsan, Syndicate Member and Associate Professor of Public Administration Department of Dhaka University, said, "All the parties that are involved in national politics, will be closed for the time being". This is what was discussed.'

He said, 'Thursday's discussion did not mention the march-meeting etc. Although closed means but these are what it means. A notification will come out from the syndicate on Saturday. All will be there. Thursday's meeting did not say that all political activities on campus are off. There was no discussion yesterday to ban or stop the student teachers who are standing in various forums. Rather, it has been said that the party's political activities are closed.

As the coordinators were not discussed separately, he added, 'But what I can say is that if they also form a political party, their activities should also be stopped. They can continue their activities until they form a party.'

It is known that one of the 9 points given by the students during the quota reform movement was to ban party politics in university campuses. When Abu Bakr Majumdar, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, was asked about the decision of the syndicate meeting, he said, "Since this decision came late at night, we could not discuss it." But as far as I know, if any such decision is taken, the anti-discrimination student movement will not hold any program in the university area.'

In this context, another coordinator, Abdul Hannan Masud, said, 'We are not talking about stopping student politics, we are talking about stopping party-based student politics.'

Stating that they want a politically conscious generation, he said, “If someone wants to do politics, then he should go to the party office. Do not run inside the campus. There will be student parliament-based politics on campus.

The two central coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, were contacted to find out about these issues. But they were not found. However, after the news of the decision to stop student politics came to the fore, Sarjis Alam wrote on his verified Facebook profile yesterday, 'Let the march to create a new Bangladesh begin today....'

Differences between coordinators and others:

According to Professor Kazi Maruful Islam of Dhaka University's Department of Development Studies, 'What the coordinators are doing is politics. However, they have some "subtle differences" with the student body of the political parties in Bangladesh. The difference they are making with others is that they are not doing it as part of a political party. From this point of view, whatever they are doing on behalf of the students in this march-meeting is being applauded.

But he thinks that the way Sambayak is doing various programs, others can also do it if they want to. He said, 'Let's assume, Chhatra Dal has said since yesterday that we are Chhatra Dal, but we have no relation with BNP. We are doing it independently. Having said that, they will have no difference with the anti-discrimination student body. What they are doing, Chhatra Dal will also be able to do that.'

About the syndicate meeting, he said, 'They may have meant that no organization, teachers, employees, students related to political parties can carry out any activities under their banner. So, there is no point in saying 'politics off' here. Prohibition of activities of any organization associated with the support of parties active in national politics. It makes sense to say something like that. Otherwise it doesn't mean anything.'

Why it is necessary to stop politics:

Professor Kazi Maruful Islam said, "In the United States, there are Young Democrats and Student Democrats. Republicans have too. They camp, do charity in the campus. Campaigning during elections. Volunteer. It is in England, even in India. Also in Thailand.

He thinks that the problem is not in student politics. He said, 'Our student organizations here have been together for many years. Did politics on campus, no problem. The problem has been when the national politics has gone awry. If they did not use the student organizations, there was no harm, their problem was in the political party. Not in the student body. The difference is that other countries do not use it that way, in our country it does. Source: BBC Bangla