With Bangladesh on a new path, there's a debate currently going on about the need for politics on campus. If we recall, not too long ago, during the last government, desperate efforts were made by the student wing of the then regime to re-establish politics in a Dhaka campus of a renowned public university. At that time, the general students protested such a move vociferously, stating that politics in campus would not only hamper education but also spawn a culture of repression and exploitation.
The seismic events of the last two months have now brought the issue out in the open for a candid discussion, where the young can freely express their wishes.
Ending one party dominance: But before we look forward, a peek into what student politics was within the campuses of the public universities, is a must. Irrespective of the government in power, the campuses had always been under the control of the student wing linked to the government in place.
In the last 15 years, student wing of the AL reigned supreme, not allowing any others to operate freely. The unwritten law of politics in campus dictates cornering everyone else through total monopolisation of the student political apparatus. This despotic approach is mostly layered with hollow platitudes of inclusivity.
When Nurul Haq Nur was elected president of the Dhaka University Central Students Union, DUCSU, by votes from the general students, the message was clear: students did not want anyone from the ruling party.
However, for being uncompromising in his principle to work for the benefit of the general student, Nur faced harassment, facing physical assault on many occasions.
The election of Nur to the DUCSU reflected the overwhelming preference for a person not aligned to the ruling party. It also illustrated the erosion of trust in the student wing linked to the government. Sadly, on the ground, the tendency was to ignore the message, forcefully impose one political dogma, disregarding the general students.
The consequence of such an approach became very visible during the student led mass movement, which saw the ransacking of the rooms of political party affiliated leaders.
Let the students decide: In dealing with the question of politics on campus, the best method would be allow the students to speak up and underline as to what they would prefer. If most students are opposed to politics then it has to be dissected to identify/understand the reason behind such a sentiment.
A leading Bangla daily ran a special page on student politics, which carried the most poignant sentiment of all: "do not create an environment to induce the feeling 'I hate politics'."
During the recent protests, which brought down a regime, the rage and fury of the general students fell on those who were politically linked to the party in power.
The key reason for this being the egregious attempt made by political students to repeatedly undermine the student movement for reforming the quota system by falsely portraying them as subversives, militants and outsiders.
In this abomination, the political student leaders were also joined by a section of teachers, blindly and blatantly aligned to the government. When a general student sees how a political narrative is being foisted on others in the name of student politics, a feeling of revulsion is likely to develop. This is exactly why countless young people are against politics on campus.
The other, more sinister aspect is the brazen politicisation of teachers who failed to see the evolving protests and the underlying emotions, from an objective angle.
If not politics, then a council: Some students, rightfully so, may feel that, in case politics is outlawed,a form of a council featuring students, will be essential to ensure the rights of the students and to make teachers accountable. Such a body should be given serious thought if the overwhelming decision is in favour of a politics free campus.
A council's other roles will be to deal with issues, ranging from sexual molestation to favouritism by teachers to mobilising of students in case of a national emergency.
The July-August student led movement had its genesis at the University of Dhaka and while we are hoping for a brighter future, the road ahead will pose challenges. Since students engineered the socio-political change, their voices will be required in the days to come to tackle other social issues.
With reform in the air, formation of the student council may also see a certain amendments with the inclusion of members from the media and civil society. For quite some time, this writer had pointed out the need to include respected and trusted faces of the national media in public service providing institutions to ensure accountability.
Unarguably, the first body to have a monitoring board is certainly the police because if the law enforces want to regain trust and respect they need to totally overhaul their operation. The role of media in the board will work as a deterrent against any malpractice or attempts to paper over the cracks.
For too long, things have been pushed under the carpet. This is the time to stop it! If the final verdict from the students is in support of campus politics then an independent advisory body, tasked with the overall functions of student-based activism, has to be selected.
The end line: Bangladesh, for too long, was forced to accept non-transparent institutions that served a particular political ideology while brazenly propagating vacuous lines of an ethics based approach. This hypocrisy has to end; for that to happen, teachers need to put education, welfare of students and the need for a just/equitable society on top instead of pursuing cringe-worthy political sycophancy.
