Student politics should not be abolished; it needs to be purified

In the village, there's a saying, 'The poor man's wife is everyone's sister-in-law.' In Bangladesh's politics, student politics is like that poor man's wife. Any mishap leads to blame falling on student politics. Whenever something happens in an educational institution, demands arise to shut down student politics. This trend isn't new; it has been ongoing for a long time. When the leaders of student organizations supported by the ruling party get involved in murder, terrorism, extortion, and corruption scandals, everyone demands the shutdown of student politics. But has any leader of the youth wing ever demanded the cessation of youth politics when they are involved in casino scandals? Many politicians in Bangladesh are embroiled in murders, corruption, tender manipulation, bank looting, and stock market scams; has anyone ever demanded or thought of shutting down politics because of that? Let's leave politics aside. Is there any profession where corruption is absent? There are corrupt individuals in every profession: police, doctors, engineers, journalists. Then why is all the blame directed towards student politics?

Nowadays, there is a growing aversion towards politics among the populace. When asked, they smartly respond, 'I don't like politics.' It's not just the younger generation; people of all ages harbor a certain disdain for politics. The common people perceive politics as a source of fear, so they prefer to keep their distance from it. No one wants their children to engage in student politics anymore. Instead, ministers, MPs, leaders, and activists prefer to send their children abroad for education. Consequently, when the country, politics, and student politics stray from the right path, they feel no connection or responsibility. This trend is detrimental to the country and its people. So, are we going to distance ourselves from politics and let the miscreants take control of our nation?

If things continue like this, the intellectuals will join the BCS cadre, become university professors, or seek good jobs abroad. And those who are unruly as students, indulging in reckless behavior, will end up solely in politics. Then, it's evident that there's a serious problem within our society. Because the matter is quite simple: typically, those who engage in politics will eventually become MPs, ministers, or shape the nation's policies in the future.

Let's imagine for a moment: the brilliant student in class opts for the BCS exam and joins the administrative cadre, while the average student decides to enter politics. The one who joined the BCS cadre gradually climbs the ranks and eventually becomes a secretary through promotions. On the other hand, the average student, step by step, rises to become a minister. Now, in the ministry, decisions are made by the ministers, while the secretaries are responsible for implementation. This means that the less brilliant individuals are making decisions, while the more brilliant ones are executing them. If the situation were the opposite, with the brilliant ones making policy decisions, it would be more beneficial for the country and its people.

I'm not saying that all students must engage in politics. Those who are interested in politics will pursue it, and those who prefer to excel academically will do so. However, if student politics is shut down, then for a student who wants to engage in politics, it will be akin to interfering with their freedom. It's quite paradoxical that 18-year-olds can vote, yet they cannot engage in politics.

I am myself a fervent advocate of politics. Despite its numerous flaws and challenges, I firmly believe that politics is our last hope. No matter how much criticism we may voice, it is the politicians who govern the country and formulate policies. Even the worst democracy is better than any other form of governance. This lesson is ingrained in my life. I have spent a significant part of my student life in activism against autocracy. It has caused some damage to my academic career, but the greatest lesson I have learned so far in life comes from that very involvement in politics. I always take pride in having spent my youth in anti-Ershad student movement. On a personal level, I owe a debt of gratitude to student politics. Student politics instills courage, fosters responsibility, and teaches one to rise above selfish interests. It prepares individuals to confront life's challenges with bravery and make immediate decisions. Most importantly, it teaches leadership. A political activist will never abandon their comrade in times of trouble. They will never dine alone; if someone goes to jail or faces difficulties, they will stand by their family. Engaging in protests against autocracy, I've often found myself in confrontations with the police. From those experiences, I've learned to make quick decisions to ensure everyone's safe return. I've seen life grow larger through these challenges, and I've faced them head-on, all thanks to my involvement in student politics.

Human life isn't just about laughter, playing, getting married, and raising children. There are more significant goals in life. It's about contributing towards society, the nation, and the world, striving to lead a purposeful life. Even though robots have intelligence, they're not humans. Even though trees have life, they're not humans. Humans are the pinnacle of creation because they possess life, intelligence, consciousness, and reasoning. To make this world more habitable, more advanced, it will be necessary to put these ideals into practice. Distinguish between good and evil. Student politics will sow the seeds of that ideological spirit in a student. Bangladesh has a proud history of student politics. The Language Movement of 1952, the Education Movement of 1962, the Mass Uprising of 1969, the Liberation War of 1971, and the student movements against autocracy in the 1990s have all contributed to the glorious role of student activism. However, since the downfall of autocracy in 1990 and the advent of democracy, a degeneration in student politics has begun.

During Ershad's rule, all democratic student organizations coexisted on the Dhaka University campus. At that time, we knew that the northern part of the campus was dominated by student wings of opposition parties, while the southern part was controlled by the student wing of the ruling party. Each student organization had its own leadership. However, after the restoration of democracy, Dhaka University became centralized. Now, when a certain party is in power, only their followers are active on campus. Others are often restricted. For example, currently, under the sole control of the student wing of the ruling party, Dhaka University's campus does not allow any existence of other student wings. Again, when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power, the situation was different. With every change in national power dynamics, Dhaka University faced overnight transformations. Not only Dhaka University but also all educational institutions across the country are now under the sole control of the student wing of the ruling party. However, this control is not based on popularity or affection but instilled through fear and coercion. The problem lies here. We are sitting and contemplating the problems of student politics, observing the dominance, manipulation, and intrusions of the student wing of the ruling party.

Between the ages of 18 and 25, life takes on a different hue. During this time, people are restless to do something. Everyone wants to rebel. Everyone is ready to participate in rallies and even in wars. If we fail to channelize the energy of youth into constructive activities, it can lead to disaster. We have seen before that where there is no student politics in institutions, militancy thrives.

We can hear echoes of those challenging times even at BUET. Many argue that there is no longer any goal in student politics, so there is no need for it anymore. It's true that they don't see any grand objectives like language rights, educational rights, overthrowing autocracy, or societal change in front of them anymore. However, it wouldn't be fair to say there is absolutely no goal. When we hear about various problems like guest rooms, torture cells, or ragging in different educational institutions, it becomes evident that without healthy student politics, it wouldn't have been possible. There are still various problems in different educational institutions. Student leaders can play a crucial role in addressing all these issues. Apart from that, students can also advocate for democracy, voting rights, and freedom of expression.

Student politics should not be abolished; it needs to be purified. There should be regular student union elections in various educational institutions to ensure that the pipeline of future leadership remains open. In reality, by shutting down the pipeline of healthiness, we are creating an unhealthy situation unchecked. And without treating the unhealthiness, we are trying to choke it to death.

Author: Columnist and Head of News, ATN News