He criticises the alignment of student wings with national political parties
Published : 04 Feb 2025, 01:08 AM
A taskforce formed to redefine economic strategies for equitable, sustainable development and secure necessary resources has called for an end to the current trend of student politics in Bangladesh's educational institutions.
At a press conference at the National Economic Council, or NEC, conference room in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Monday, the group's head KAS Murshid said: "We had hoped that the conventional practice of student wing politics, which has continued in our country for the past 50 years, would come to an end.
“Neither I nor the taskforce believe this form of student politics has been particularly beneficial."
He explained that what happens in the name of politics often infiltrates both teachers and students, creating a space that leads to “crude economic corruption”.
“So why should such a space exist? Does any civilised country have such a thing?”
Murshed compared student politics in South Asia with the situation in other parts of the world.
“Is this type of space, where political parties are based on campuses, found anywhere other than the South Asia? Does it exist anywhere else?
"This does not mean student politics is bad. What we oppose is their alignment with national parties. I believe this should be seriously considered."
However, he encouraged students to remain engaged in activism and social issues.
“Student politics will always exist. They will have opinions, they will engage in activism, they will raise their voices on social, political, and other issues. They should play an active and positive role.
“We need to create spaces for that, a proper platform.”
Education and Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud later weighed in on the issue.
He said, “The kind of student politics that prevents academic progress is bad student politics.
“Every university must have a code of conduct. It may not be the same as Cambridge or Oxford, but there must be a set of rules that allow the right kind of student politics. That would be a positive development,” the advisor concluded.