Two recent incidents once again bring to the light the fact that campuses in Bangladesh are often a breeding ground for intimidation and violence.
Five female students were thrown out of a Dhaka University residence hall by thugs for refusing to participate in a BCL rally, while faculty and students at Chittagong University are being held hostage by a handful of activists of the student wing of Islamic Front Bangladesh.
Nobody should have to suffer intimidation and disruption in any walk of life. It is disgraceful that leading academic institutions are regularly blighted in the name of politics, which prevent staff and students from focusing on education.
Student activists should not have so much power that they can control large parts of the student body through coercion and intimidation. It is utterly unacceptable that students can be thrown out of their residences simply for not joining in a rally.
The persistence of such activities at the core of our education system gives our public universities a bad name, and neither helps ordinary students nor wins converts to any political causes.
All political parties must disassociate themselves from such criminal behaviour by their student activists.
University authorities and police must do more to protect ordinary students and staff. If groups cannot conduct political activities in a lawful and peaceful manner, their activities must be curbed. The government should support academic administrations in cracking down hard on any members of the student body who disrupt university life for those around them, regardless of affiliation.