Student Politics in Bangladesh: An Observation
বাংলাদেশে ছাত্র রাজনীতি : একটি পর্যালোচনা
Student Politics in Bangladesh: An Observation
Introduction:
We know education is the backbone of a nation. But most of the time our political leaders forget this truth. They favour their rough political game over education. Instead of the pen, they favour guns for students. Thus, today our educational institutions are oriented no.t to education and talent rather guns and gatherings. However, our students have a glorious history when they played the leading part in making the nation free from foreign occupation, repression and in establishing the rights of the people.
Then student organizations were oriented to students’ interests as well as the greater welfare of the nation. But with the passage of time, they became the front association of the political parties. Today our political leaders are playing a double game with the general public.
History of our student politics :
Students organizations of our country have a long and glorious history. The students played important role in anti-British movements, in movements against Pakistani repression, language movement, anti-Ayub movement ’60, six-point movement, people upsurge ’69, after all during our Liberation War. At that time, student politics was aimed at –
First, protesting repression, oppression, injustice etc.
Second, protecting the interests of the students.
After liberation, our students were divided into two camps. First, the opportunist faction and second, the leftist faction.
After the brutal killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the character of student politics has changed a lot. At the first phase of military rule, there was a direct link between student leaders and the leader of the state. Here the president was to directly patronize the students. Hence, there was a horizontal integration between political parties and students organizations instead of the vertical ones.
At the second phase of military rule, student politics became more opportunistic. During this period, at least two student leaders have been made ministers.
Gradually, with the advent of the movement against the military government, the student organizations became equal partners of political parties. Then the student organizations became the powerhouse of national politics providing money-might and terrorist activities against the government.
Thus, after the overthrow of the Ershad government, the dependence of the political parties on their affiliated student organizations has been increased tremendously. The two rival parties, AL and BNP, made their all efforts to patronize their student organizations and to use them against each other.
Thus, during the BNP rule in 1991-96, most of the universities were under the control of JCD. But with the dethronement of BNP in 1996, JCD was replaced by Chatra League (BCL). At present, Chatra League has taken the control of all educational institutions by outcasting their opponents. They are doing the same things as done by Chatra Dal.
Present trends in student politics:
Compared to pre-liberation student politics, the nature and characteristics of our present-day students organizations have been changed a lot.
First, at present, student politics is considered an important basis of political power in national politics. Students are now powerful not only in their own organizations but in their parties also.
Second, nowadays student politics is neither people-oriented nor educational oriented rather it is oriented toward personal interest and power. Their movements are not for the students but only to strengthen their position on the – campus. They are not the student leaders rather the power elites of our society.
Third, in the past, the students were to protest against oppression, repression and injustice. They were to move for humanity against brutality. Unfortunately, such character of our student organizations has been changed. Today, students are criminals, they are brutal killers. Most of the offences in our society are being committed, directly or indirectly, by so-called students instead of in nasty politics. The kind of our present-day student politics in mercenary, rent-seeking, violence and crime loving.
Fourth, another important trend of our student politics is the confrontation between rival student organizations to take control of a specific region or institution. For this, even they do not hesitate to kill their opponents. The most devilry to their activities is that they sometimes kill their own cadres only to create a troublesome situation in their respective institutions.
Fifth, all the terrorist groups of students are booked by politicians who use them to perpetuate their position in and outside the party. Sometimes, the fractions in students organizations are commensurate with those of the political party they belong to.
Sixth, the students at large matter little to the leaders’ who capture halls, manipulate business bids, hoard benefits and climb the socio-economic ladder- including even seats in parliament. So, various student fronts are just a reflection of the main political parties whose immediate goals have more to do with grabbing power and enjoying it while it lasts.
Controversy over banning the “student politics”:
During AL’s rule, honourable president Justice Shahabuddin was to propose banning student politics. Then Awami League government was to defend themselves by saying that they also agree with the president but it needs consensus and cooperation among patronizing parties.
The then present prime minister also declared that her government would ban student politics, which is needed, to restore the academic environment of our educational institutions. Her declaration has created controversy over the issue. One group took their position against student politics while others, including opposition AL, is against banning it.
A. Arguments against students’ taking part in politics:
The arguments that are generally put against students’ taking any interest in politics are as under:
1. Students are immature and it is likely that they will be easily misguided by clever agents of political parties. Even the present status of student politics in our country is enough to prove such a claim.
2. Through the active participation of students in politics, students are being derailed and today the educational institutions of our country have become the fighting grounds. Students are more familiar with guns than books. Thus, if we fail to make education free from politics we would remain backward in this ever-changing world.
3. Those who support the banning of student politics, they argue that student politics is the source of many socio-political crimes and disorders in the country. It has become a threat to the right development of our youth.
B. Arguments in favour of students taking part in politics:
Those who support student politics, advance the following arguments
1. If the students are kept aloof from politics altogether, they will remain political babies, even when they are grown up. Then they will be more easily misled in later life on account of their ignorance and inexperience.
2. Historically our students played a glorious role in national liberation, progress and development. They were the pioneers in making the nation free from autocracy in 1990. So, any attempt to keep students out of politics may have some reasons but in the long run, it may cause great harm to the nation.
3. Sometimes, the reasons presented for banning the student politics are being questioned on the ground that –
i. Why the efforts to ban student politics would not be treated as an effort to conceal the failure of the government in arresting and punishing the terrorists?
ii. Will the prohibition of student politics not influence national politics?
iii. The prohibition of student politics means the identification of student politics irresponsive and even making a non-political system.
iv. Will it contribute to rooting out terrorism from society?
Conclusion:
In spite of the above discussion, particularly arguments in favour of and against student politics, we must not be forgotten that the principal duty of a student is to mind his lessons and not to take part in public affairs. He is to acquire knowledge to train up his mind and to prepare himself for the duties of life.
And also our political parties should ensure that they will not keep any link with student organizations. Otherwise, all the efforts must result from only dubiousness and discontent. And, no political party will use them as their puppet.