The students of Rajshahi University (RU) engaged in a clash with local traders and shopkeepers on Saturday, with many of them getting injured. Although the situation seemingly calmed down on the first day, the question arose of who had instigated and supported the students to block the railway line and road continuously for the following three days, turning the protest into a violent one.
On Sunday night, seven organizations active on the campus suspended the movement claiming that the movement was being diverted to a different direction.
The university authorities claimed that outsiders entered the movement and set fire to shops and railway lines.
However, some of the students who did not participate in the movement after the first day complained that a few people from the administration had incited the students.
On the other hand, several senior professors of the university said that there was another evil force from outside working behind the students' movement.
At a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Vice Chancellor Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar said: "We reassured the students that their demands of the students would be fulfilled. The students were also calm. Later, some outsiders entered and turned the movement violent. They even assaulted teachers and set fire to highways and railway lines. Taking advantage of the incident, they wanted to do something big.”
Pointing out that outsiders have repeatedly tried to take the movement outside the campus, the VC said: "Around 80% of the arsonists were not students… The kind of weapons they had, university students cannot have. We have information that a group wanted to derive political advantage by making this movement a big issue. Some of the students do not believe in the spirit of the Liberation War.”
At least 200 students were injured on Saturday night. In protest, students started protesting on the campus the next morning. At one stage, they besieged the VC's office. When the VC entered his residence with the help of Chhatra League leaders and activists, the agitation subsided.
However, on Sunday afternoon, a section of students blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway. Later, some people from there blocked the railway line adjacent to the Fine Arts Faculty and set it on fire.
In this situation, when a special police team arrived on the scene, the students returned to the campus.
What the student leaders say
After this incident, the seven progressive student organizations participating in the movement announced the suspension of the movement at midnight. At the same time, many claimed that efforts were being made to take this movement to a different direction.
The organizations are Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, Chhatra Union, Biplobi Chhatra Maitree, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Biplobi Chhatra Jubo Andolan and Nagorik Chhatra Oikya.
Shakila Khatun, president of RU unit Chhatra Union, said that there was no outsider in the movement. It is a movement of the university students. But a group has tried to take political advantage from the beginning by using ordinary students.
In response to the question of who wanted to take the movement to a different path, she said: "On Sunday, after the VC entered his residence, the students dispersed. But suddenly a leader of the ruling party's student organization with a group of students went to block the railway line. At the same time, some leaders and activists of that organization took up positions on highways with locally made weapons. They wanted to divert the course of the movement.”
Mehdi Hasan Munna, convener of Nagorik Chhatra Oikya, alleged that a group of students led by a Chhatra League leader blocked the railway line on Sunday evening.
However, the ordinary students alleged that members of Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir members were present in the movement.
A student on condition of anonymity said: "At the beginning of the movement, none of them (Chhatra Dal or Shibir members) could join. But after a day, realizing the way they wanted to lead the movement, general students moved away from the movement. They (Chhatra Dal and Shibir members) are on the campus with the support of the ruling party.”
Showing several posts on Facebook, a student said: "They have been campaigning on social media all the time. No one has seen such an undisciplined movement before. In the end, no one had control.”
What does the Chhatra League say?
Rajshahi University unit Chhatra League President Golam Kibria said: “More than 200 students were injured in the attack by locals. The students protested against it. There were students of different opinions here. However, all of them rose above party affiliation and protested as students. I didn't see any outsiders here. But a third party may have joined.”
What the teachers say
Prof Mushtaq Ahmed, chairman of the university's Mass Communication and Journalism department, posted on social media mentioning that there are evil forces behind this movement of students.
He claimed: “Evil forces are trying to create instability in the campus.”
Asked about this issue, Professor Mushtaq said: “A third party has joined the students' movement. Those who do not believe in the independence of the country and in the country, those who do not believe in the liberation war, are the third force. Due to this, they have set the country's resources on fire on the railway line.”
He also thinks that the inaction of some people in the university administration is facilitating the third party.
What the law enforcers say
Members of law and order enforcement on campus said that students of different political ideologies got involved in the movement. The followers of Chhatra Dal and Shibir had links here. Apart from this, a section of the Chhatra League also wanted the movement to continue.
On the allegations, Proctor Professor Asabul Haque said: “Our students are not rough. On Sunday, some outsiders infiltrated their movement and provoked them. We have come to know from law enforcement sources that there was a conspiracy of various political parties here. Where some university students are involved, they are politically active.”
Police on Sunday filed a case against some 300 people over Saturday's clash between the students and locals.
On Sunday afternoon, RU Registrar Prof M Abdus Salam filed a case against 400-500 unidentified people with Matihar police station.
Another case was filed on Monday against an unidentified number of students for stealing parts of the railway line.