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Published : 11 May 2026, 01:36 AM
Domain Dispute: A New Battle on Campus
Regime falls, rivals rise: The fall of the Chhatra League has sparked a fierce tug-of-war between the Chhatra Dal and a resurgent Shibir.
Cloak-and-dagger tactics: Accusations of "undercover politics" fly as rival groups use student mobs to seize control of the halls.
Hall monopoly: Despite calls for reform, students fear a new era of "occupation politics" is replacing the old regime.
The slogans have changed at Dhaka University. The accusations have multiplied.
But for many students watching from crowded corridors of residential halls and tea stalls beneath rain-darkened trees, the struggle feels painfully familiar.
One side speaks of ending “occupation politics”. The other warns of “secret politics”. Yet beneath the competing rhetoric, many students and observers believe a new contest for dominance is rapidly taking shape across Bangladesh’s most politically influential campus.
Since the July Uprising that toppled the Awami League government, the political map of Dhaka University has been dramatically redrawn. The longstanding dominance of the Bangladesh Chhatra League collapsed almost overnight.
Into that vacuum stepped organisations that had spent years politically marginalised -- chiefly the BNP-backed Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Their renewed visibility also revived anxieties over control of halls, unions and campus influence.
And now, amid rallies, tit-for-tat allegations and midnight protests, a central question is echoing across the university: are calls against campus domination themselves becoming another form of control politics?
Return of Old Fears
Soon after Aug 5, 2024, demands emerged to ban student politics entirely from campus. Then vice-chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan publicly announced such a ban in August last year, but no formal university order was ever issued.
Since then, protests under the banner of “general students” demanding an end to student politics have repeatedly surfaced across campuses -- from Titumir College to Eden Mohila College.
Chhatra Dal alleges many of these protests are quietly organised by activists linked to Chhatra Shibir and its affiliated women’s organisation, Islami Chhatri Sangstha.
The argument carries historical weight.
During the Awami League’s 15-year rule, Shibir was unable to operate openly on Dhaka University campus. But the July Uprising revealed how many of its activists had allegedly remained active underground -- infiltrating cultural organisations, social platforms and even Chhatra League structures while quietly maintaining organisational networks.
Now Chhatra Dal says Shibir is continuing that “secret politics”.
The debate intensified on Apr 22 when Chhatra Dal activists staged protests after being stopped from writing the word “gupta” -- meaning “secret” -- on the wall of Bijoy Ekattor Hall.
They blamed Hall Union Reading Room Secretary Tareq Rahman Shakib, elected with support from Shibir-backed candidates.
A day earlier, tensions erupted at Chittagong Government City College over similar graffiti targeting alleged “secret politics”. The issue became so heated it was raised in parliament.
Later, Chhatra Dal submitted a memorandum to Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ABM Obaidul Islam, accusing Shibir-linked activists of attempting to recreate the same hall-dominance culture once associated with Chhatra League.
“Many of them shed their old identities after the 2024 mass uprising and joined Chhatra Shibir,” the memorandum said.
“Through covert anti-political activities, they are trying to establish the same politics of occupation.”
Midnight Protests and ‘Mob Politics’
On Saturday night, a group of students at Eden Mohila College broke open the campus gate and launched demonstrations demanding a ban on student politics.
Videos circulating online showed protesters tearing down Chhatra Dal banners and attempting to set them on fire.
Four days earlier, similar protests broke out at Government Titumir College.
Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir accused Chhatri Sangstha activists of orchestrating both incidents.
“[On Saturday], in the same way, a mob has been created at Eden College at the instigation of undercover Chhatri Sangstha activists,” he wrote on Facebook.
“If this secret force does not stop this mob terror immediately, we will build strong resistance.”
But Shibir leaders reject the allegations entirely, arguing the protests reflect genuine fear among students.
Responding to Nasir, Chhatra Shibir Publicity Secretary SM Farhad wrote that Chhatra Dal had continued “its old ways” after the July Uprising.
“Frightened students are raising slogans against politics across campuses,” he wrote.
A Hidden Structure of Power
After the July Uprising, the new university administration introduced “batch representatives” in halls to help maintain order and assist with accommodation and food management until DUCSU elections were held.
But later, many of those representatives appeared on Shibir-backed panels during DUCSU and Hall Union elections.
Across at least 13 residential halls, former batch representatives went on to secure major student union positions.
Among them were Surja Sen Hall Vice-President Azizul Haque, General Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman Jabir, Bijoy Ekattor Hall AGS Imran Hossain and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall GS Ahmed Al Sabah.
Chhatra Dal says the system effectively allowed Shibir to consolidate hall control under the guise of neutrality.
“After Aug 5, Shibir activists occupied the halls in the name of student representatives,” said Dhaka University Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon.
“They later appeared openly with Shibir during DUCSU elections.”
Shibir President at Dhaka University Muha Mohiuddin Khan dismissed the accusation.
“The administration allocates seats in halls, not student representatives,” he said.
He instead accused Chhatra Dal of attempting to seize hall control after the elections.
‘Students Not Their Concern’
For many teachers and left-leaning student leaders, the conflict reflects a broader crisis in campus politics.
Political science Prof Kazi Mahbobor Rahman said the interim administration had appeared tilted towards one political force, upsetting campus balance.
Anthropology Prof Rasheda Rawnak Khan warned that “mob culture” had already made campus politics deeply intolerant over the past year and a half.
Socialist Student Front President Salman Siddiqui was more direct: “It is a conflict over whether the campus will remain under Chhatra Dal or Chhatra Shibir.”
“It is clear as daylight that this conflict has nothing to do with students’ interests or educational demands. These are simply attempts to keep control of the campus.”
Students themselves say tensions exist but violence has not yet spiralled out of control.
“There are conflicts between Chhatra Dal and Shibir, but it has not reached physical clashes yet,” said Bijoy Ekattor Hall resident Sayeed Sarkar. “If both sides remain tolerant, students will be fine.”
Others believe Shibir currently holds stronger institutional influence because of its sweeping DUCSU victory.
“Since they were elected to the student union, they now control almost everything,” said a Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall student identified only as Ismail.
Still, many students insist they do not want another era of hall occupation politics -- regardless of who dominates.
“We do not want anyone’s monopoly,” Ismail said. “Everyone can do politics. But students should not suffer because of it.”
