University students expressed their support for student politics on campus, but were against allowing traditional party-affiliated groups like Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir, during a discussion organised by Manusher Jonno Foundation yesterday.
They also emphasised the need for transparency and accountability from the government.
The session brought 25 young men and women from various parts of the country, who took part in the anti-discrimination student movement, to share their experiences and demands for the future of Bangladesh.
Speaking about how the quota reform movement turned into a mass uprising, the youth shared that when former prime minister Sheikh Hasina called the protesting students “Razakars”, it angered everyone.
Following that, Chhatra League and the police attacked their peaceful movement, leaving students, especially female students, beaten, bruised and bleeding.Â
The “unjust” actions taken by the former government, one after another, strengthened their movement.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of MJF, said, “We have a lot of hope for this generation. They will bring change to our society. We are all looking up to them. They just have to work together.”
Fariha S Aumi, chairperson of youth-led non-profit organisation Brighters, said “Abu Sayed was shot dead. Public universities were closed. We were worried about the movement being stopped. But when students from private universities joined the protests, along with students from schools and colleges, the movement gained more momentum. Soon, people also joined in. Parents even stood by the students with food and water. That is how this became a mass uprising.”
