Students throw shoes at symbolic images of Razakars at Jagannath University

Students at Jagannath University protested by throwing shoes at symbolic images of the Razakars, expressing hatred for collaborators of 1971, following objections to drawing and trampling the Pakistani flag on campus.

The protest took place around 12:30pm on Tuesday, December 16, at the university’s sculpture premises, where students voiced strong condemnation and anger over the incident.

Asif Hossain, a 2021–22 session student of the philosophy department, said the Pakistani forces killed hundreds of thousands of people in 1971. He alleged that on Monday night, when students attempted to draw and trample the Pakistani flag, the university administration and a group of students obstructed them, prompting the protest.

Saad Ahmed, a 2021–22 session student of the Islamic history and culture department, said it was unacceptable that even after so many years of independence, permission would be required to express hatred towards Pakistan. He expressed strong resentment over the obstruction of their classmates’ actions the previous night.

Earlier, on Monday night, when the administration stopped students from drawing and trampling the Pakistani flag on the Jagannath University campus, the unit of Chhatra Dal staged a protest and laid siege to the vice-chancellor. The vice-chancellor’s vehicle was blocked throughout the night. The blockade was lifted around 5:00am, after which the vice-chancellor and members of the proctorial body left the campus.