Chhatra Dal holds meeting with 28 student organisations

Leaders and activists of 28 student organisations led by Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, have met to exchange views on various issues.

However, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and Anti-discrimination Student Movement were absent from the meeting, which was held at Glorious Centre in Katabon on Thursday.

The agenda for the meeting covered a range of topics, including the current political situation, the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh, medical treatment for those injured during the July movement, the democratic environment in educational institutions, student council elections, and the role of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in the mass uprising, the Bangladesh Student Federation said in a statement.

Saikat Arif, general secretary of the Bangladesh Student Federation, said that India had been attempting to support the erstwhile Sheikh Hasina government by all means. After failing to do so, India was now allegedly trying to stir up unrest in Bangladesh, he said.

The student leaders pointed to the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala as an example of this, according to him.

During the meeting, the student leaders reached a consensus on several issues, including the demand for justice for the mass killings during the July uprising, proper medical care for the injured, the rehabilitation of the families of the dead, and efforts to prevent communal conflict from being instigated.

They also discussed the need for creating a safe, outsider-free campus, fostering an environment where students could nurture their democratic rights, and preventing attempts to ban student politics.

Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasiruddin Nasir told bdnews24.com that the meeting had included those who had long struggled against fascism. He explained the absence of Chhatra Shibir, saying that the left-wing student organisations had objections to its participation, which is why they were excluded from the discussion.

Nasiruddin said that Chhatra Dal was open to future discussions with Chhatra Shibir and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

"It’s not that we won't talk to Chhatra Shibir or have a troubled relationship with the Anti-discrimination Student Movement," he said. “They did not present themselves as student organisations. Once they clarify their positions, we will consider holding a meeting with them."

Among the organisations that attended the meeting were Bangladesh Student Federation, Chhatra Andolon, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Bangladesh Muslim Chhatra League (Nur Alam), and Pahari Chhatra Parishad.