Welcoming the court verdict, students and teachers of Jahangirnagar University who have been agitating demanding justice for Zubair Ahmed murder yesterday demanded that the judgement be executed at the soonest following all legal procedures.
They termed the verdict exemplary. At the same time, they observed that the achievement would go in vain if the violent political situation on the campus does not change.
Factions of the ruling party’s student wing, Chhatra League, engage in clashes among each other on the campus very often.
After the verdict, students under the banner of “Shontrasher Biruddhe Jahangirnagar” brought out a procession on the campus welcoming the judgement.
Bangladesh Students Union and Socialist Students’ Front of JU also expressed satisfaction over the verdict. In separate statements they mentioned that the verdict was the successful outcome of the students’ relentless movement.
Chhatra League President of the unit Mahmudur Rahman Jony claimed that those convicted by the court did not belong to the student organisation, rather they were criminals. “We are satisfied with the verdict,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
“The convicts were none of Chhatra League because activities of the organisation were postponed during the murder. Still, few over enthusiastic students deliberately committed criminal activities on the campus under the name of Chhatra League,” he added.
A number of teachers including Prof Naseem Akhter Hossain and Prof Noim Sultan of government and politics department, Prof ATM Atikur Rahman and lecturer Anisa Parvin of history, and Associate Professor Rayhan Rhyne and ASM Anwarullah Bhuiya of philosophy said they were happy with the punishment.
History department teacher Md Golam Rabbani said: “The verdict is the outcome of the movement carried out by students and teachers. This is the first verdict over any killing in a university.”
Then proctor Prof Arzu Mia, who stepped down from the post after the murder, declined to comment before seeing details of the verdict.
Asked if Zubair had requested for protection from the authorities during his honours final year exams, he replied in the negative.
Chief of a probe committee and former pro-VC Prof Dr Farhad Hossain said: “The authorities were cordial regarding the case and assisted the court providing all necessary documents. They punished the guilty following our probe report.”
Incumbent Proctor Prof Tapan Kumar Saha told the Dhaka Tribune: “We think the verdict will be executed immediately.” Asked about the killers’ presence on the campus despite being expelled, he replied with a counter question: “What can we do if they enter the campus secretly?”
