Shibir protests ‘attempts to foil Ducsu polls’, harassment of female students and ‘false’ accusations
They called on judges not to support any conspiracies, but instead to uphold the democratic rights of students
Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir held a procession in Dhaka today (2 September) protesting what it called conspiracies to foil the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election, harassment of female students, attacks on students at Chittagong University and Bangladesh Agricultural University, and "false accusations" against the organisation.
The procession began at 2pm at the National Press Club and paraded through Matsya Bhaban and the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh before ending in a rally at Shahbagh, where leaders and activists from different levels of the organisation took part.
Speakers at the rally alleged that a vested quarter was conspiring to sabotage the Ducsu election, while harassment of female students and targeted attacks on Shibir members at different campuses continue.
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They also accused rival student groups of spreading "propaganda" and confusion.
Shibir Office Secretary Sibgatullah Sibga said a certain group has been conspiring, using the High Court to stop the Ducsu election.
"We call on the judges not to support any conspiracies, but instead uphold the democratic rights of students."
Warning the conspirators, the Jagannath University president said, "My fellow fighters, some student organisations, under police protection, have committed rape and killings. Today, those same groups are running false campaigns to mislead the public. Because students have boycotted them, they are now plotting to stop the student union election. Their conspiracies will never succeed on the soil of Bangladesh."
Meanwhile, Shibir leader Md Abu Shadik Kayem, a Ducsu vice-president candidate, said certain groups are conspiring to sabotage the campus election environment.
"Frightened by the popularity of the united students, they are resorting to cyberbullying, misinformation and threats against female candidates. We have submitted written complaints to the university administration and demand exemplary punishment for those involved in harassing women."
Referring to Shibir's Ducsu general secretary candidate SM Farhad, Shibir Secretary General Nurul Islam Saddam said, "Unreasonable objections have been raised about the legitimacy of our candidate, and even attempts are being made to suspend the polls."
"We have seen students attacked at Chittagong University, Bangladesh Agricultural University and Jagannath University. Pictures of female panel members have been defaced, and they have been harassed. Yet the administration has remained indifferent."
Saddam reiterated Shibir's stance that student union elections must be held in every campus and power must be transferred to the elected representatives.
