Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Executive Member Sarbamitra Chakma has offered an unconditional apology and announced to resign over an incident in which choldren who had gone into Dhaka University’s Central Playground were made to do sit-ups while holding their ears.
In a post shared on a Facebook group of university students on Monday afternoon, Sarbamitra said he was stepping down after accepting moral responsibility for what he described as an undesirable incident.
In the post, he outlined the security crisis caused by unrestricted entry of outsiders into the university’s Central Playground and Physical Education Center. He said that although the field is designated exclusively for university students, frequent intrusion by outsiders has led to repeated incidents of harassment of female students. He also said thefts of mobile phones, wallets, and bicycles have become commonplace in the area.
Sarbamitra said outsiders regularly enter the playground by climbing over the wall opposite Dhaka Medical College. When confronted, he alleged, they retaliate by throwing stones at university staff. He added that despite repeatedly informing the university administration of the situation, no visible measures were taken, and the area has not even been brought under CCTV surveillance.
A video showing several outsider adolescents being made to perform sit-ups while holding their ears went viral on Sunday, drawing widespread criticism of the student representative.
Addressing the controversy, Sarbamitra said: “Amid administrative failure and insecurity, while trying to manage the situation, I was compelled to make the outsiders do sit-ups holding their ears. This was by no means behavior I expected or desired. I admit that punishing anyone in this manner was inappropriate, and I am offering an unconditional apology for this incident.”
Explaining his decision to resign, he said, “I have failed to meet the expectations with which students elected me as their representative. Bearing the responsibility arising from the administration’s non-cooperation and failure, I have decided to resign.”
