Politicians must take opinions of students into consideration
After the independence, a separate ordinance or order was promulgated in connection with Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar Universities. At the time, teachers of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Agriculture University visited the law ministry seeking a similar ordinance.
But that didn't happen. The style of BUET and Agriculture University is different. I think the administration of such specialised universities should not be like the other universities. The style of teaching and teacher-student relations in BUET are different. Here, outside of teaching, teachers usually don't discuss politics with the students.
Student politics existed in BUET. When I was a student in BUET, there were two trends of Chhatra Union on the BUET campus. Chhatra League was also very active. However, the presence of student wing of Jamaat was nominal.
There was a portion of Tabliq and they remained engaged in religion.
During the sixties, student leaders were respected persons. They had ethics. But now the student leadership has deteriorated. People's respect for them is steadily decreasing
We have to go in line with the situation of the country. But that does not mean that we will change our individuality. So we have been seeing that the political parties or those who are running the country don't spread influence in any matter of BUET. The syndicate of BUET is very powerful.
There is no political influence in assessing students of BUET. However, politics is not bad. The students carry out politics in other universities. But specialised universities are different in style. All BUET students are conscious politically. They understand what is going on in the country. But they don't want to actively participate in the politics.
During the sixties, student leaders were respected persons. They had ethics. But now the student leadership has deteriorated. People's respect for them is steadily decreasing.
The BUET students have not forgotten the murder of Abrar Fahad. In context of that, if the students take any decision, the political leadership cannot impose their plan on them. The politicians should try to neutrally understand the opinion of teachers and students. Hope, the politicians will take the opinions of BUET teachers and students into consideration
BUET was running well. On the pretext of the presence of Jamaat or terrorists in BUET, a quarter of politicians are making statements which are not true. If there are people involved in terrorist activities they can be identified by the intelligence agencies. What the administration is doing? They should control them.
The BUET students have not forgotten the murder of Abrar Fahad. In context of that, if the students take any decision, the political leadership cannot impose their plan on them. The politicians should try to neutrally understand the opinion of teachers and students. We hope the politicians will take the opinion of BUET teachers and students into consideration.
*Ainun Nishat is emeritus professor at BRAC University and former professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
*This article, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam