BCL members should not be arrested indiscriminately: Sarjis Alam

Members of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), who held posts in different university hall committees, should not be arrested indiscriminately, Sarjis Alam, one of the key co-ordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said today (28 October).

In a post on his verified Facebook profile, he wrote, "Before 1 July and from 1 July to 15 July, the student movement on Dhaka University campus was spontaneously participated by the students of different halls. This movement was mainly carried out by those hall students till 15 July."

The student leader said, "Those who have an idea about the halls of Dhaka University know very well that students had to join BCL if they wanted to get a seat in halls. 

"About 80% of the students who held posts in BCL hall committees used to join the committee for various reasons, such as getting a good room, staying in the hall until getting a job and not being wronged by others. Among the remaining 20%, many abused power and oppressed people of different opinions."

Sarjis continued, "Those 80% students played the most important role in the first 16-17 days of the movement, when it was centred on Dhaka University. Ordinary students were able to come out to the streets with them as they marched unitedly with banners from the halls. 

"The truth is that because these students with BCL posts came to the movement from 1 July to 15 July, the movement could not be initially tagged as anti-government or initiated by any other party."

However, if any of these 80% students are involved in any wrongdoing before or after the movement, then they should be punished subject to investigation, the student leader added.