Dhaka University (DU) teachers and students on Sunday recalled the violent crackdown on students and teachers by the then military-backed caretaker government between August 20 and August 23 in 2007.
To mark the dark period, teachers, officials, and staff of the university wore black badges. A virtual discussion — presided over by DU Vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Akhtaruzzaman — was held around 11:00am on the day to observe the occasion remotely.
Participants of the discussion said the then unelected and undemocratic government was responsible for the deplorable and barbaric attacks on teachers and students of the university.
Praising the action of DU teachers and students at that time, Dr Akhtaruzzaman said: “The political unrest during the military-backed interim government was an assault on the spirit of the Liberation War and the country’s democratic values.”
Urging everyone to remain alert, the VC stated: “Anti-liberation and undemocratic forces have always chosen the month of August to unleash violent attacks on the spirit of the country in order to accomplish their evil ambitions.”
DU Pro-VC (administration) Prof Muhammad Samad, Pro-VC (academic) Prof ASM Maksud Kamal, a teacher assaulted back then, Prof Anwar Hossain, DU Teachers’ Association (DUTA), President of DUTA, Prof Lutfor Rahman, and its General Secretary Prof Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, were among others who joined the discussion.
On August 20, 2007, during a football match at the university’s gymnasium playground, a heated argument broke out between students and some army personnel. The matter escalated when the students were physically assaulted, triggering widespread agitation among both teachers and students.
On the night of August 23, the military arrested four teachers and eight students of the university, and reportedly tortured them.
Later, then DUTA president Sadrul Amin, faculty member Neem Chandra Bhowmick, and several students, had to surrender after the incident.
The incident also sparked clashes between police and students, which spread from DU to other educational institutions across the country.
A rickshaw-puller was killed in Rajshahi and several hundred people were injured amid the clashes when law enforcement opened fire in the Rajshahi University (RU) area.
Subsequently, the authorities enforced a curfew in Dhaka and five other cities for several days.
A total of 59 cases were filed against 84,000 unnamed students on charges of their involvement in the violence. Several DU and RU teachers were arrested and placed on remand on allegations of instigating the violence.
Following five months of imprisonment, four DU teachers were released after they were granted presidential clemency on January 22, 2008. Eight DU students were also released in several phases.
Later, the then government withdrew a number of cases against the teachers and students.
Since then, DU observes August 23 as "Black Day" every year.
