Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said in parliament that not all of the cadres seen carrying firearms on Rajshahi University campus were activists of her party’s student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League.
She announced that legal actions would be taken against the attackers of students and warned that her government would not allow the Islami Chhatra Shibir to occupy the campus and carry out violence there.
During an unscheduled discussion initiated by Opposition Chief Whip Tajul Islam Chowdhury, the premier said the Chhatra League leaders under attack had the right to defend themselves.
Tajul had demanded tough actions against the armed persons carrying out the attack on general students.
“The students of Rajshahi University had been waging an agitation, demanding reduction of fees and other issues. Chhatra League brought out a victory procession when the authorities met the demands; they were attacked,” Hasina said.
“Then they protested and resisted [the attacks]. All of the cadres seen with arms were not activists of Chhatra League. We have already expelled the Chhatra League activists involved. Legal actions will follow,” said Hasina.
The prime minister said she had already instructed the home minister and the inspector general of police to investigate the incident to find out those involved in the attacks.
She urged the left-leaning student bodies at Rajshahi University to remain alert so that Shibir cadres could not intrude their agitation.
“It is not acceptable that Shibir will infiltrate into their agitation programme, occupy the campus and carry out criminal activities; we have to see to it,” said Hasina.
Referring to the trial of the Biswasjit murder, the prime minister said her government had not endorsed criminal activities. “We took actions against 22 Chhatra League activists in connection with Biswasjit’s murder.”
Hasina said at least 16 activists of the Chhatra League had been murdered on Rajshahi University campus.
“Are the lives of our boys not important? Are they not the children of their parents? Who stands by them when our boys are attacked? Why will we tolerate this? Criminals are criminals, but everybody has the right to defend themselves.”
Hasina said her government would try the criminals, no matter which party they belonged to.