Editor's Pick

Violence on DU campus

26 August 2007, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
M. Hassan, Dallas, Texas. USA


PHOTO: AFP

There we go again!! DU campus broke into violence for two days because of the scuffle between students and army personnel, during a soccer game. Though it might sound like an isolated event that can happen between any people at any time but our student population, I am sure they are a vocal minority, decided to take it a step further and disrupt the nation, city and lives of other students, who unlike them, would like to study. This incident took place because of the uncontrolled temper of the students and the army personnel. This should be settled in a court of law, exposure should be given in the newspapers by the journalists...everything should be done in a peaceful manner. Why my friends or my kids have to miss a day of education because of a scuffle between people who cannot control their anger? If university students are caught in robbing and stealing, should all the students apologise and take responsibility? This is utterly ridiculous and primitive!
***
The incident of students being beaten in the playground of Dhaka University by some army personnel on August 20, 2007 was sad indeed. But what the students backed by politicians did on August 21 in various parts of the Dhaka city was extremely irresponsible. They have broken the glasses of hospitals in Dhanmondi such as Ibne Sina Medical Services and Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital. Outdoor patients could not come out and suffered a lot. Unfortunately, none of teachers will demand punishment to them. Even during the emergency the media is free to talk and also the people can criticise the government, what else we need for democracy? May be we need to have the right to destroy hospitals, to enforce hartal, to murder rival politicians and so on. After the incident one DU teacher said in a TV interview that the present civil government is a puppet government of the army. For the sake of argument, let us think he is right. May I ask which minister of the last BNP government was not the puppet of Tariq Zia and others? Similar things happened during the AL regime too.
Dr. Mahboob Hossain, Associate Professor. The University of Asia Pacific. Dhanmondi, Dhaka
***
Although I respect the army as a vital institution, I never support their involvement in civilian affairs unless they are totally controlled by the executive bodies of the civilian government. At the same time, I always despise our students' nature of protests. Look what they have done: they broke infrastructures, burned cars, put the life of fellow students and onlookers at risk, caused huge economic disruption and caused a mass hysteria throughout the nation. Honestly, how many of the young students on the street really care about Bangladesh's development? They are frustrated, I know. When I was in the ninth grade, I had to prevent a group of students of Dhanmondi Govt High School (my classmates, who else) from throwing rocks on the vehicles. They were juveniles. Since then I always wondered why students behave like that. I think they actually do not care about their country. They are actually looking for a war; they want to be heroes. I am being blunt, but I am sure my observations carry some truth. Again, I deplore the behaviour of some members of the army. But are our students in general any better? Where were these protesters when the residential halls were occupied by so called “student leaders”? I am not trying to support army camping on the campus, unless absolutely necessary. But the students, who are burning and destroying taxpayers' properties, should ask themselves if the campus was safer before. If not, then why they failed to protest this way against the fellow students who used to terrorise others? Now, I would like to question our sincerity about a peaceful solution. When the General Staff of the Army tried to visit the Medical College Hospital, he had to leave. Why did not the students give him a chance to minimise the damage? I request the students to think before making fire and breaking windows. It's the poor on the street who will suffer most. They do not care, nor do they share your romanticism of student politics. They want to go on with their lives. They do not want heavy philosophical or political jargons from classic revolutionary texts, they are happy to run their shops or pedal their rickshaws or drive their cabs. If you really love your country or care for its people, please be proactive, rather than reactive.
Tirtho Mahmood, On e-mail

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