Bangladesh News

Leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), even general resident students of 12 halls of Dhaka University (DU) are passing days amid arrest panic.
The arrest panic gripped them as the law enforcement agencies raided different dormitories three times in a week of this month to hunt down ‘listed’ activists of JCD and BCL who violated the state of emergency by taking part in processions or holding meetings.

Students alleged that police in their latest May 8 raids on eight dormitories arrested at least four students who do not have any political involvement and they do not know why they were arrested.

During the raids, law enforcers arrested 12 people including nine students and three outsiders. Of them 10 were produced before the court and sent to jail without framing any charges. They were freed on bail yesterday.

Shahbagh Police said they found the names of 10 of those 12 arrestees on their list while friends and relatives of at least four arrestees said they did not have any political involvement.

After the raids many leaders and activists of JCD and BCL left the dormitories out of arrest fear. Intelligence sources said such raids would continue.

University authorities have approved the law enforcement agencies’ raids on any dormitories to maintain law and order at the university.

Former president of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said a student, whether he has political track or not, cannot be arrested without any specific allegation.

“The law enforcement agencies should work to maintain law and order but they have to ensure that innocent students do not suffer due to their actions. The way the 10 arrestees were taken to the court, with rope tied around their waist, is humiliating to a Dhaka University student.”

It is the university authorities’ duty to ensure their students’ security and dignity, Prof Siddique said.

Admitting the information of common students’ harassment due to hall raids by law enforcement agencies, Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz said, “On Tuesday, we had a discussion with the police on the issue. We directed them to be more careful so that common students do not suffer when the law enforcers work to maintain law and order.”

Police and intelligence branches recently prepared the list of around 200 leaders and activists of JCD and BCL who violated the state of emergency and who have criminal records, sources said, adding that the list is getting longer.

Police and members of intelligence branches started raiding identified rooms of the halls and arresting their on-list people since the declaration of the state of emergency.

JCD took part in a procession on the campus on March 8 after the detention of Tarique Rahman, BNP senior joint secretary general.

BCL also did the same on April 22 in Shahbagh protesting against the government’s steps to prevent Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina’s return to the country.