Students announce ban on politics in DU halls
The general students of Dhaka University (DU) have declared some of their residential halls politics-free after driving out some leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from their dormitories.
They announced their decision in the early hours of today (17 July). The students took the signatures of Hall provosts stating that if political leaders returned to the halls, the university administration would be responsible.
The eight halls where political activities have been banned are- Ruqayyah Hall, Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, Sufia Kamal Hall, Kuwait Maitri Hall, Shamsunnahar Hall, Ziaur Rahman Hall, Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall and Zohurul Haq Hall.
In the statement issued by students of Ruqayyah Hall and signed by the Hall provost, the general students said, “We, the general students of Ruqayyah Hall, declare our dormitory free from all kinds of politics from today. There will be no political activities here from now on, and if political individuals harm us, the university authority will be responsible.”
Students of Ziaur Rahman Hall said in a statement, “The hall authority has to turn the hall terror-free and politics-free. All types of political activities have to be banned, and those political students who had attacked quota reform protesters on 15 July have to be immediately expelled. Moreover, no guest rooms or common rooms will be in the hall.”
At least six people were killed, and scores were injured during clashes between the quota reform protesters, police and BCL leaders and activists nationwide on Tuesday. The night before, at least 300 agitating students were injured across the country when BCL activists swooped on them on university campuses.
Many BCL leaders and activists have resigned from their positions since then, stating that the repression of the protesters by the government goes against their ethics, ideology and conscience.
