A section of students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) on Thursday staged a sit-in protest, demanding the resumption of the central students' union (Jucsu) and an immediate halt to activities of partisan student political organizations during the interim government period.
The protest, organized under the banner "Gonobhyuththan Rokkha Andolon" (Movement to Protect the People’s Uprising), took place in front of the university’s new Registrar Building around 3:30pm.
“We don’t want any partisan student politics on the campus during the interim period. We urgently demand the Jucsu election to ensure that students can engage in politics democratically,” said Abdur Rashid Jitu, a student from the 47th batch.
“The administration must set a timeline for holding the Jucsu polls, or we will continue our sit-in program until the demands are met,” he added.
Ziauddin Ayan, a student of the 50th batch, said: “One of our primary demands is the end of partisan politics. JU students no longer want to see political influence on the campus. We urge the administration to arrange the Jucsu election at the soonest so that students have a democratic platform.”
Addressing the vice chancellor, Shakil, from the 48th batch, said: “You assured us that our demands would be met. We have over 5,500 signatures in support of this cause. Yet partisan politics remains rampant. We want immediate action to halt all partisan political activities and a swift announcement for Jucsu elections.”
The protest follows the resurfacing of the Islami Chhatra Shibir on Tuesday after 35 years. General students brought out processions against the move.
There has also been debate over renaming the university to Jahangirnagar Muslim University, as proposed by the erstwhile West Pakistan government in 1970, after the central secretary general of Chhatra Shibir and Islamic orator Mizanur Rahman Azhari raised the issue on social media.
The demand for a ban on partisan student politics came to the forefront after the death of a former Chhatra League leader, Shamim Molla, by some student leaders linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and Chhatra Dal on September 18.