(News Credit en.prothomalo.com) Peace and order prevail in nature. This is because everything in nature follows rules and fulfills a specific role. All planets and satellites move in their designated orbits—therefore, no chaos occurs. Even behind seemingly chaotic behaviours in the animal kingdom, a natural order exists. Take humans, for example. As living beings, we have various body parts—nose, ears, mouth, hands, feet, and so on. Each part has its own function. We breathe through the nose and eat with the mouth. Trying to eat through the nose would cause serious problems. Likewise, we cannot walk with our hands.
In the same way, there are different classes of people in society—students, teachers, farmers, workers, politicians, and so on. Each has a distinct role to play. Students should study to acquire knowledge. Teachers should teach and expand the boundaries of knowledge through research. Politicians should engage in political activities, form parties, contest elections, form governments, and run the state in the public interest. If everyone fulfills their responsibilities properly, society will run in an orderly way and move forward.
However, in our society, many teachers—especially in public universities— primarily engage in party politics, with few exceptions. Instead of seeking and sharing knowledge, they spend much of their time building political factions. In recent decades, many university appointments have been made not to recruit quality teachers but to strengthen political vote banks.
As a result, even those who publish in prestigious international journals often fail to get teaching positions at Dhaka University simply because of factional politics. University teachers and administrators are largely focused on recruiting voters for their respective factions, like the White or Blue panels.
On the other hand, many students have abandoned their studies to engage in student politics as extensions or affiliate groups of political parties. Their main goal is to execute the programmes of the political party.
This cannot truly be called "student politics"—rather, it's a form of politics where students are used by political parties, essentially as enforcers or muscle. Because of this approach to producing student enforcers, during the mass uprising of July, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader could proudly declare that their student wing, Chhatra League, was enough to deal with the protestors. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard such statements. Members of these student “enforcer” groups have committed some of the worst atrocities in the past.
One of the most notorious examples is the case of “Centurion” Manik during Sheikh Hasina’s first term in power, at Jahangirnagar University. He reportedly celebrated his 100th rape. This monster managed to escape punishment and flee the country safely—protected by the ruling Awami League. Have we considered the consequences of these roles played by students and teachers?
Since Satyendra Nath Bose, not a single world-class scientist has emerged from Dhaka University—which was once hailed as the "Oxford of the East." Today, the university is no longer known globally for academic excellence or research, but rather for gonoroom (a room where many students reside), violence, and criminal activity in the name of student politics. Our universities have practically become dens of terror, losing their very essence of what it means to be a "university."
A blatant consequence of the subservient student-teacher political culture was recently witnessed during the highly disorganised student union election at Jahangirnagar University. Some student organisations, facing certain defeat, withdrew from the election, while several teachers theatrically stepped down from their election duties. Many believe this is a reflection of the subservient and factional politics of students and teachers. I myself was involved in student politics in the 1960s and later taught at Dhaka University—but even imagining being someone’s political pawn would have been beneath our dignity.
Another result of student and teacher politics is the sharp decline in the quality of education. Bangladesh has not been able to establish even a single world-class institution like India’s IITs. Meanwhile, former IIT graduates now lead some of the world’s top tech companies like Google and Microsoft. It is deeply unfortunate that while the rest of the world progresses in knowledge, science, and technology, we remain entangled in needless political disputes.
In Bangladesh’s history, students and youth have played a glorious and proud role—and I myself can claim a small part in that, particularly for my involvement in the anti-Ayub mass movement of 1969. We have every reason to take pride in the sacrifices and contributions of our students during every critical juncture of the nation. But this glorious history should have been written by our politicians—not by the students. So, we must ask: did our respected political leaders fail to fulfill their duties during these national crises?
Some might ask: “If there were no student politics, could we have removed Sheikh Hasina?” My belief is that without the subservient and factional student-teacher politics, Sheikh Hasina might have been ousted much earlier. Have we forgotten? The day Chhatra League was expelled from university campuses, the notorious "helmet gang" also vanished—and the downfall of the Awami League became inevitable. Similarly, the downfall of Ayub Khan was made possible in 1969 only after the NSF (National Students Federation), which had supported Ayub and Monem Khan, joined the mass movement.
Many may also ask—if student politics is abolished, will it hinder the emergence of new leadership?
In recent decades, the so-called "leaders" produced through subservient, partisan student politics were often more like full-time politicians during their student years. Many of them may hold university degrees, but they lack true education. Most have little to no understanding of how a modern state is supposed to function. As a result, brilliant students no longer want to be involved in such subservient, thug-driven student politics.
What many may not know is that the current form of partisan student politics is not legally valid. In 2008, after extensive discussions with political parties, a requirement was introduced during party registration that their constitutions must not allow sub-organisations such as partisan student, teacher, labour, or overseas branches. This condition was incorporated into the Representation of the People Order, 1972 (RPO)—specifically under section 90B(1)(b)(e)—and was ratified by the Ninth National Parliament in its first session. The purpose of this provision was to put an end to the illegal activities of these sub-organisations and to eventually dissolve them.
However, despite initially adopting this clause in their constitutions, political parties later removed it and continued to operate these groups under the label of “affiliated organisations”—which is a clear violation of the law.
Therefore, in the interest of keeping educational institutions free from violence and misconduct, and focused on knowledge and learning, we appeal to our political leaders: Respect the law. End subservient student politics. Please, let students remain students. You pursue your politics, but leave the campuses alone. Also, dismantle your foreign branches.
It’s worth noting that there is significant public support for abolishing subservient student politics and overseas party branches—most parents are firmly against them.
*Badiul Alam Majumdar is Secretary, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN).
#The views expressed are the author’s own.