60 Incidents of Violence on Rajshahi Campuses

30 killed since independence but no instance of justice

17 March 2009, 18:00 PM

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi

At least 30 people including 27 students were killed and over 2,500 injured in some 60 incidents of student violence on campuses of different educational institutions in Rajshahi since the independence. There has been hardly any instance of justice, while reports of the probe committees never came to light, say sources on Rajshahi campuses. The latest March 13 violence left a student killed and around 100 injured on Rajshahi University (RU) campus and surrounding areas. It led to indefinite closure of all higher educational institutions including RU, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology and Rajshahi Medical College, leaving academic life of nearly 60,000 students to uncertainty with impending session jams. Earlier cases for only five killings in two incidents of violence at RU were tried in the court. Four Islami Chhatra Shibir activists from outside the campus Abdul Jabbar, Ayub Ali, Abdul Hamid and Sabbir were killed in the RU violence in February 1982. Following a case, a Rajshahi court awarded life term to the accused persons including the then Chhatra Moitree leader Fazle Hossain Badsha but the convicts got president's clemency following movement during Ershad's regime. In April 1989, ICS activist Shafiqul Islam was killed near RU Senate Bhaban. In the case, all the accused people including the then Chhatra Moitree leader Ragib Ahsan Munna were acquitted from the court. Other cases filed for killing some 15 ICS activists and 12 students belonging to Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Bangladesh Chhatra Union and pro-JSD Chhatra League did not even see proper investigation. Moitree activist Mostak Elahi was killed in 1980, ICS activists Aslam Hossain and Asgor Ali were killed in the November 1988 incident while BCU worker Tapan Sarker, Moitree worker Rupom and JCD workers Biswajit and Notun were killed in February 1991. Besides, Dr Pinku and Jamil Akhtar Ratan of Rajshahi Medical College and Rimu, Amanullah, Yahia, Azibor Rahman, Mostafijur Rahman, Ismail Hossain Siraji, Saifuddin of RU are on the victim's list. RU ICS general secretary Shari-fujjaman Nomani's name has now added on the long list of casualties of student violence. Teachers and civil society members, interviewed by The Daily Star, have demanded proper probe into the latest violence and punishment of the perpetrators. They cited various reasons including not trying the perpetrators of previous incidents of violence over political influence as reasons for repeated occurrence of campus violence. Student organisations' competition for dominance in halls and campuses, 'business' from admission into institutions and seat distribution in dormitories, political persons' commercial interest from coaching centres and other profitable organisations and authorities' biased role toward ruling party's student fronts are also responsible for the situation, they said. RU vice chancellor and Rajshahi police commissioner declined to comment on the matter.