Rallies on DU campus protest mob lynching

In response to the recent incidents of mob lynchings at Dhaka University (DU), Jahangirnagar University, and arson in Khagrachhari, several protest rallies and human chains were organized throughout the day on Thursday.

At Dhaka University, the day began with a demonstration led by Abu Bakar Majumder, one of the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, at the Raju Bhashkorjo. The protest was in response to the killing of Tofazzal at the university’s Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall.

At around 10:30 am, another group of students staged a human chain at the Raju Bhashkorjo, demanding justice for the mob killing and protesting the incident.

Later, at approximately 12:30 pm, students under the banner of “Students Against Repression” gathered in front of the proctor’s office, protesting the murder of the man inside Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall.

They accused the university administration of fostering an environment where “mobocracy” has been tolerated, leading to the tragic death.

From the afternoon, leaders and activists of left-leaning student groups took to the streets, holding the DU authorities responsible for the heinous incident. In the evening, they organized a candle-lit procession that marched through the campus.

Another group, under the banner of the “Democratic Students Alliance,” held a human chain at the Raju Monument around 7:30 pm. They argued that student politics is not the root cause of mob lynchings and that banning student politics on campus is illogical.

Reacting to the newly imposed restrictions on outsiders entering the campus, protesters claimed that the administration has failed to manage even a single hall properly. They criticized the restrictions, saying that the administration’s negligence was a contributing factor to the killing.

At around 7:40 pm, another group of students from DU halls protested under the banner of “Students’ Rights Watch” in front of the residence of DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Niaz Ahmed Khan. They demanded justice and strict punishment for the culprits involved, calling on both the university and the national administration to restore law and order and deal with the perpetrators decisively.

Simultaneously, students from CHT staged a demonstration at the Raju Monument, protesting the arson attack on the homes of ethnic minorities in Khagrachhari.