The Socialist Students' Front (SSF) was compelled to turn off 26 microphones at their rally in front of Dhaka University's (DU) Raju Sculpture following outrage from students.
The rally was organised to celebrate the organisation’s four-decade anniversary.
On Thursday (February 13), the event began at 9:00 AM blocking roads around the area, sparking frustration among students and causing significant traffic congestion.
However, reports confirm that the university administration had not granted permission for the gathering. Despite repeated complaints about excessive noise levels, twenty six high-volume soundboxes remained active at the venue.
As the event continued, students from the university’s central library, Rokeya Hall, and Shamsunnahar Hall raised strong objections.
By 12:30 PM, their pressure forced organisers to shut down the microphones.
Md. Moniruzzaman, a student from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, described the situation as unbearable.
"The sound was so loud that it felt like the programme was happening inside the library. Even the glass windows were shaking," he said, adding that ongoing exams made the disruption even more intolerable.
Sabbir Uddin Riyon, a Political Science student, criticised the rally’s organisers for bringing in over 300 outsiders to campus.
"With semester finals in progress, students cannot study in dorms or libraries.
On top of that, the book fair has already caused severe traffic congestion. This careless gathering is making things worse," he stated.
Other students also accused the organisers of hiring external participants, further disrupting the university environment.
A spot visit by Daily Observer confirmed that non-university individuals, including higher secondary students like Urmi from Chattogram, were present at the event.
Responding to the backlash, the organisation’s president, Mukta Barai, defended the programme.
She said, "We turned off the microphones at the students' request but continued our event".
Meanwhile, the large-scale gathering worsened traffic in key locations, including TSC, Mukti and Ganatantra Toran, Shahbagh, Shaheed Minar, and Doel Chattar. Stranded pedestrian Rashedul Islam, stuck in traffic for half an hour, remarked, "Blocking roads for rallies like this contradicts the spirit of a progressive Bangladesh." Even ambulances carrying patients were unable to move through the gridlock.
DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed confirmed that the administration had denied permission for the event.
He said, "They applied, but we refused. We clearly stated that roads could not be blocked during the book fair. Yet, they ignored our instructions and used loud microphones. The noise was so extreme that we couldn’t even work in our office."
When asked why the administration did not intervene directly, he explained, "We cannot just remove microphones or use force. We tried to negotiate, but they did not listen." The university is now considering disciplinary action against the organisers, including a formal show-cause notice.
In response, Mukta Barai claimed the rally had been planned two months in advance and that the administration was informed.
She argued, "A large programme like this cannot be conducted without microphones. These help underprivileged students access education".
As tensions persist, the incident has sparked debate over student activism, campus regulations, and the limits of public demonstrations at the university.
NR/MB
