Dhaka University: Move to oust anti-quota movement leader from hall

A move was made to remove leader of the movement against quota in government service, Sarjis Alam, from Amar Ekushey Hall of Dhaka University.

Sarjis Alam stays at Amar Ekushey Hall. A few leaders aspiring top posts in the hall unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, made an attempt to evict him from the hall on Thursday night.

Later, however, these BCL leaders were thwarted in their attempt in face of protest from students of Ekushey Hall and other halls of Dhaka University. At the intervention of a high level in the organisation, they later apologised to Sarjis.

Sarjis is a student of the zoology department at Dhaka University of the 2016-17 academic year. He is from Panchagarh district. He was elected as member from the BCL panel in the 2019 Ekushey Hall student union election.

According to campus sources, news broke out Thursday midnight that attempts were being made to oust Sarjis from the hall. This instigated protests in front of Ekushey Hall. Students from other halls joined in.

Then eventually a high level in Bangladesh Chhatra League intervened and the accused BCL leaders of Ekushey Hall apologised to Sarjis.

During the protest, the proctor of Ekushey Hall arrived there at around 1:00 am. The agitating students calmed down after he reassured them that Sarjis would remain in the hall. Sarjis' associates in the anti-quota movement then accompanied him to his room.

Speaking to journalists at midnight about the incident, Sarjis said several leaders aspiring for top posts of the hall unit of Chhatra League, the student wing of governing Bangladesh Awami League, had told his roommate that instructions had come from a top level of the organisation that he should leave the hall by Thursday. He was to leave because he was one of the main coordinators of the anti-quota movement ongoing in Dhaka University.

When he directly asked these leaders if any such thing has been said, they replied "yes". He then packed his bags and was leaving the room in order to avoid any unwarranted situation.

When he came to the main gates of the hall, he saw 500 to 700 students had gathered there, not allowing him to leave. They said he represented a justified demand of the student community. Other hall students had arrived there too when they heard of the news.

According to Sarjis, at one point he was contacted from a BCL top level. He was asked if any aspirants for the hall unit posts had tried to remove him. They said that no such directives had been given.

After that the accused persons came and apologised to him. They admitted that no orders had been issued from the top level of Chhatra League. They had wanted to gain political credit by ousting him from the hall.

Sarjis was unwilling to reveal the names of these accused Ekushey Hall unit BCL leaders. He also did not reveal who had contacted him from a top level of the Chhatra League.

Several students of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall at midnight phoned this correspondent and said that they had been obstructed from proceeding towards Ekushey Hall. This was carried out by certain leaders aspiring for top posts in Chhatra League's hall unit.

When contacted, Chhatra League central president Saddam Hossain told Prothom Alo, it is up to the administration as to who will stay in the hall or not. There are organisational instructions for BCL leaders and activists to behave in a tolerant and responsible manner. Leaders and activists of the organisation have no scope to be involved in such activities.

Provost of Ekushey Hall, Ishtiaque Moyeen Syed, said, "The students had gathered following a certain misunderstanding. I went to the spot and resolved the matter. I have taken Sarjis to his room."