JU students protest expulsion of Chhatra Union leaders

Students of the Jahangirnagar University (JU) have become vocal in protesting the expulsion of two leaders of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Union for allegedly erasing a four-year-old graffiti of Bangabandhu.

Protesting the expulsion, leaders and activists of some political and cultural organisations of JU brought out a torch procession from Shaheed Minar of the university on Wednesday (February 21) night.

The procession paraded in front of the university's new administrative building and transport premises and ended with a short rally held in front of the vice-chancellor's residence.

Conducted by JU Chhatra Union Treasurer Omar Faruq Swadhin, the rally was addressed by the leaders and activists of different political and cultural organisations.

They strongly demanded immediate withdrawal of the expulsion of JU Chhatra Union President Amartya Roy and General Secretary Riddha Anindya Ganguly. They warned that the university should abstain from filing any lawsuit against the student leaders.

Earlier on February 7, leaders and activists of a faction of JU Chhatra Union (Amartya Roy-Riddha Anindya) drew anti-rape graffiti as part of the ongoing anti-rape movement in the university, erasing the old graffiti of Bangabandhu painted on the wall of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

As a result of the incident, Amartya Roy and Riddha Anindya Ganguly were expelled by the university administration for one year. The decision was made at a special syndicate meeting held on Tuesday (February 20) night in the council room of the university's registrar building. JU VC Professor Dr Md Nurul Alam presided over the meeting.

After the syndicate meeting, Registrar of the university Abu Hasan said, “On the recommendation of the probe committee formed over erasing the graffiti, Amartya Roy and Riddha Anindya have been expelled for one year and a case will be filed against them under the state law.”

Meanwhile, addressing the Wednesday night rally, Tapasi Dey Prapti, a student of the economics department of the university, warned of a tougher movement if the expulsion order is not withdrawn immediately. “Bangabandhu's spirit is not the capital of any particular political party. Bangabandhu is for everyone. If there is a graffiti, it will be removed and another one will be drawn in its place. This is the culture at the university. I have never heard of any such decision made in any independent country based on wall writing or graffiti,” she said.

At the rally, Souma Dumuri, a leader of Biplobi Chhatra Moitree, said, “Many incidents of wrongdoing happen in the university at various times, but there is no justice for those wrongdoings. However, the university administration punished a trivial incident like erasing graffiti in a very quick manner. Vice-Chancellor Nurul Alam must have to bear the responsibility of this expulsion and withdraw the expulsion order, otherwise, a tougher movement created on the campus.”

Sadia Moon, a leader of JU Chhatra Union, said, “Chhatra League is going through flattery. They never talk about any corruption and irregularities in the administration. If the deadline for a poster expires, can I not remove it? Will they file a case against me for removing a poster? This is how autocratic administrations are unmasking themselves.”

After staging a demonstration in front of the VC’s residence for about an hour, the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Mostafa Firoz, and Proctor ASM Firoz-ul-Hasan came to meet the protesters. But the agitators refused to talk to anyone except the VC. A delegation of the agitators then went to the VC’s residence and spoke to him.

At that time, VC Nurul Alam said, “The decision was made at a syndicate meeting. It is not within my jurisdiction to change the decision of the syndicate.”

He requested the agitators to put their demands in black and white. He assured the students that a decision will be made after discussing the issue with the administrative body.