Student politics crucial for democracy, activists say at rally

Anu Muhammad, a former economics professor at Jahangirnagar University and member of the Democratic Rights Committee, said student politics is vital to Bangladesh’s existence.

Speaking at a rally in Dhaka, he criticised ruling party student wings for engaging in violence but noted that many student groups have opposed them.

He warned that if student activism declines, no one will be left to resist ongoing violence, calling for the eradication of terrorism and occupation in universities while maintaining active student politics.

At the rally organised by the Democratic Rights Committee at the Central Shaheed Minar, Mr Muhammad called for justice over the July killings, lower prices for essential commodities, protection of minorities, and an end to extrajudicial killings.

Acknowledging the limitations of the interim government, he emphasised the need for accountability in the July incidents and urged for a list of victims to be made public.

He proposed constitutional reforms to end the concentration of autocratic power and discriminatory practices, and called for a new democratic constitution driven by public opinion.

Immediate actions, he said, should include regulating commodity prices and introducing a national minimum wage for workers.

Mr Muhammad also came down hard on harmful energy projects and demanded free healthcare for all citizens, including mandatory treatment of government officials in public hospitals.

He called for constitutional recognition of all hill communities and justice for recent violence in the hill tracts, urging an end to coercive governance and the repeal of damaging agreements.

Professor Salimullah Khan, another member of the Democratic Rights Committee, suggested the killings at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University might be part of a broader conspiracy.

He questioned whether the Dhaka University syndicate’s immediate call to end student, teacher, and staff politics was in response to the July uprising.

Mr Khan pointed out that one of the demands of the anti-discrimination student movement was to halt student politics, warning that this could weaken the foundation of Bangladesh's formation and the impact of the July uprising.

Following the rally, participants marched in protest against the military presence in the hill tracts and the ban on student politics.