Chhatra League in the fight for supremacy
\nDeutsche Welle: At least four universities in Bangladesh have created an unstable situation due to the Chhatra League. Opposition student organizations do not have much opportunity to be active in universities. As a result, the Chhatra League is prevailing everywhere. They are in conflict with each other.<\/p>\n
The universities are Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka University, Chittagong University, and Jagannath University.<\/p>\n
The Chhatra League is now getting involved in various misdeeds, including sexual harassment, extortion, robbery, and tender bidding on campus. And since there is no opposing student organization, the Chhatra League is divided into various groups and sub-groups and is involved in conflicts among themselves. There are allegations of dominance, extortion, hall seat rent, admission trade, and tendering behind it.<\/p>\n
After the incident of rape of the wife by holding the husband in a hall of Jahangirnagar University, more information about other misdeeds of Chhatra League leaders and activists of that university has come out. His story was told by RAB in a regular press briefing.<\/p>\n
On February 9, RAB said in a briefing that the information they received after interrogating the detainees in the rape case was ‘alarming’. They quoted the arrested Chhatra League leader Mamun as saying that those who have been arrested in connection with the rape have said that such misdeeds are happening frequently at Jahangirnagar University. Many do not express it out of fear.<\/p>\n
Besides, extortion and robbery are regular occurrences there. Those who come to Jahangirnagar University from outside are the main target. Drug buying and selling on campus is done openly. There are complaints about renting hall seats to outsiders. In the RAB briefing, it was said that the university administration should be stricter in these matters.<\/p>\n
Three groups of the Chhatra League clashed for three consecutive days, from last Wednesday night to last Friday, over a sit-in at a tea shop in Chittagong University. Photos of BCL cadres practicing with indigenous weapons were also printed in the newspaper. And in this clash, at least 80 people from different groups of the Chhatra League, including the police, were injured. The university administration held a meeting with the police on Sunday to bring the situation under control. During the conflict, around 300 leaders and activists of the BCL attacked each other with ramdas, brickbats, and sticks. 163 clashes have occurred between them in the last five years.<\/p>\n
And on Thursday night, there were several rounds of clashes between the followers of the two leaders centered on the Saraswati Puja concert at Dhaka University. At least 15 people were injured. Due to the same reason, two groups of the Jagannath University Chhatra League also clashed.<\/p>\n
Since January 2022, the name of the Chhatra League has been mentioned in 43 cases of extortion, robbery, beatings, and attacks on opponents at Dhaka University. Chhatra League leaders and activists have clashed at least 16 times among themselves over occupying the hall and spreading influence.<\/p>\n
The internal conflict of the Chhatra League in various areas, including various educational institutions in the country, is now at an extreme. As a result, there are clashes between different groups of BCL in different areas.<\/p>\n
What the Chhatra League leaders of the two universities said:
\nGeneral Secretary of Dhaka University Chhatra League Tanveer Hasan Saikat acknowledged the internal conflict of the Chhatra League in various educational institutions and district upzilla. He said, “It is to show power. The incident at Chittagong University is due to internal conflict.’ But he denied that there was conflict at Dhaka University. He said, “It is a result of temporary tension.” At the same time, he said, “The allegations of extortion and tender bidding against the Dhaka University Chhatra League are not correct.” He said that the university administration has been requested to take legal action against those involved in the clash.<\/p>\n
The Chhatra League does not have any committees at Chittagong University now. Still, why various groups and conflicts in the BCL? When asked, the former vice president of the Chittagong University Chhatra League, Sadaf Khan, claimed, “This situation would not have happened if there was a committee.” Now there is no one to control what happens. No one obeys anyone. Various groups now operate. Whoever wants to maintain his dominance.’ But he also denied the allegations of extortion, tendering, and seat trading. He said, “The university administration also does not take any measures to stop these.”<\/p>\n
It is now a battle for supremacy.
\nDeepak Sheel, Central President of the Bangladesh Students Union, said, “There is no opposition student organization outside the government student organization in any educational institution of the country. Their government student organization, the Chhatra League, expelled them in various ways. There is no freedom of speech on campuses. Members of opposition student organizations cannot be present in the hall. They are not even allowed to do organizational work on campus. And now, after they have monopolized, they are fighting for supremacy among themselves. They are divided into various groups and are involved in conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n
When asked what kind of interests he had, he said, “There are various types of financial corruption here. There are many other financial issues, including tendering, extortion, seat trading, and admission trading. The strongest groups in BCL are under their control. As a result, there is a conflict about it.<\/p>\n
Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the former VP of Dakso, said, “There would have been a balance in the educational institutions if the opposition student organization had been present. Not that there was no conflict then. But the Chhatra League expelled them. So now there is a conflict between themselves.<\/p>\n
He said, ‘I did not investigate the reason for the conflict in those four universities. But such conflicts are due to dominance and financial interests.<\/p>\n
He said, ‘Awami League will not take action against Chhatra League in these incidents. Because they depend on the Chhatra League. Rape is not prosecuted. And if the university administration takes measures, they will not have jobs.<\/p>\n
The Chhatra League president wants positive student politics:
\nChhatra League central president Saddam Hossain said, “The incidents that happened are unintended and undesired.” We are trying to prevent this from happening again. After an incident, dismissal or exclusion from the organization is not a permanent solution. We want to bring qualitative changes to student politics. And that’s why we will start workshops and dialogues.’<\/p>\n
Regarding extortion and tendering, he said, “There are negative elements in student politics. We could not establish the modern concept of leadership here. Educational institutions tend to be used in various ways. The situation will improve if the tendency to impose organizational politics on educational institutions is completely removed.<\/p>\n
When some central leaders of the Awami League were asked about this, they avoided commenting. They said, “We don’t know anything about the Chhatra League.” Ask those in charge.’<\/p>\n
The report was prepared by Haroon ur Rashid Swapan for the Bengali edition of German media Deutsche Welle. All responsibility for this report rests with Deutsche Welle.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chhatra League in the fight for supremacy Deutsche Welle: At least four universities in Bangladesh have created an unstable situation due to the Chhatra League. Opposition student organizations do not have much opportunity to be active in universities. As a result, the Chhatra League is prevailing everywhere. They are in conflict with each other. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-13072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh","category-crime-corruption"],"yoast_head":"\n