The University Teacher’s Network held a protest demanding justice for the ongoing violence, attacks, and murders in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, along with a call for public safety.
The rally took place on Saturday in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla statue at Dhaka University.
During the protest, Professor Kamal Uddin from the Department of Clinical Psychology at Dhaka University spoke out about the brutal murder of a student in Fazlul Haque Hall.
He said: “The person who was killed wasn’t just harmed, they were fed, photographed, and spoken to before being brutally attacked. Those responsible for this are profoundly mentally disturbed.
“They viewed their actions as devoid of conscience and humanity, driven solely by a thirst for violence. They might later claim it wasn’t intentional, but how it unfolded reveals their twisted mentality,” he added.
Associate Professor Samina Lutfar from the Department of Sociology said that both the university administration and the government must be held accountable for incidents on campus and in the hills.
She raised a crucial question regarding the recent killings of students at both Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University, followed by a declaration to free universities from all politics. “What is the clear explanation for this? The politics that contributed to the independence of Bangladesh and allowed us to attain our language—are we to say that politics has no place here? If you eradicate that, what will remain in our universities? Just songs, music, and flowers?”
Other educators expressed their concerns about labelling those fighting for rights in the hills as separatists.
They questioned why indigenous people from the hills and plains would seek separation. “They are as much a part of Bangladesh as anyone else, and their demand for rights must be acknowledged. Their fight is for their constitutional freedom, which must be guaranteed.”
The speakers further criticized the calm demeanour of the administration despite serious incidents occurring in the two universities.
They said that the administration claimed they didn’t understand the situation. This cycle of revenge-driven politics must be addressed. It’s not politics that should be excluded, it’s revenge.
