‘Debating environment steadily deteriorating’
Young debaters on campus nowadays feel that the debating environment is deteriorating, due to growing intolerance on the political front. They face difficulty in their dormitories and the university authorities do not cooperate with them when they want to debate on contemporary issues.
The president of Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS), Abu Bakkar Siddique, says debaters in Bangladesh generally avoid political engagement on and off the campus unlike elsewhere in the world.
“Students in Bangladesh are not focussed. They are largely unfocused and have multiple involvements,” he observed in an interview with Prothom Alo. The full text of the interview is given below:
Prothom Alo (PA): Why do you debate?
Abu Bakkar Siddique (ABS): Debate is a dynamic space. Those who debate in the university have a somewhat celebrity status on campus. This initially attracts students to join a debating club in the university. Once they join the club, they find it a place where they can exercise their thoughts. It was no different for me. Debate enables me to speak at public events. Debating has given me confidence to speak and made me a good listener too.
PA: What do students think about debate?
ABS: On campus, non-debaters regard debaters as those to be followed. Debate is an art that helps students discover their hidden potential. The motto of Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS) is ‘Expression is Knowledge.’ Students think debate is an extra-curricular activity that helps them exercise their personal skills and develop knowledge. It is a place to share knowledge too. It is an intra-disciplinary place where they can share their thoughts with students from other disciplines.
PA: Are debaters more tolerant of different views or are they simply desperate to win?
ABS: It is true that there are two outcomes of a debate -- win or lose. But debate teaches us to respect winners. I have been debating for nearly last half a decade. Debate has taught me tolerance. It is an exercise that teaches one to argue with respect to others. During a debate, you have to maintain certain etiquette.
PA: How do you choose issues for debate?
ABS: There is a topic bank at each debating club of the university. Senior debaters help make the list of topics. The topic bank generally includes theoretical and popular issues.
PA: Do you select current issues?
ABS: Current issues dominate debate topics. We mainly select social and economic issues. The topics at present include question paper leaks, extrajudicial killing and even human rights violations. These topics are most popular in the debating community.
PA: Do you see any change in your five-year debating career?
ABS: The environment of the debating clubs has totally changed. It is steadily deteriorating. Nowadays, participating in debate is not very easy for students, compared to the environment five years ago. Even the university authorities are not very cooperative.
PA: What kind of Bangladesh do you debaters look forward to?
ABS: The things are going on in the country are a reality. Bangladesh is doing better, I think. In debate, we reach the best conclusion after several positive and negative arguments. Bangladesh now is in transition.
PA: What are some of your observations about the contemporary scene and the present generation?
ABS: We are living in a world which is changing every day. The thinking and engagement of the students have changed tremendously over the past few years, due to expansion of technology and the social media. The problem is the students are not focussed. They are largely unfocused and have multiple involvements.
Technology has a positive impact on the debating community. Debaters are more united and connected due to social media. Over the last five years, I’ve met many students from different backgrounds. This engagement has enriched me.
PA: Do you think today's youth are adequately prepared as future leaders?
ABS: It’s very tough to say, I would like to share an experience in this regard. I was fortunate to visit Oxford and Cambridge universities where I saw those who had been debaters were doing well in politics. But in our country, debaters generally avoid the political engagement on campus.
PA: What does a debater do after leaving the debating club?
ABS: A debater doesn't do anything different than a general student. But I find they do well in the professional arena.