Chhatra Dal accuses DUCSU Liberation War Affairs secretary of distorting history

The Dhaka University unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has alleged that the Liberation War and democratic movement affairs secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) has thwarted the aspirations of the democratic movement by distorting the history of the Liberation War. They raised the allegation in a press release on Wednesday.

The press release reads the various irresponsible actions and controversial comments of those who came as so-called representatives in the past questionable and controversial election of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) are subjecting DUCSU and Dhaka University to extreme insult before the nation.

Recently, the statement regarding the history of the Liberation War that the controversial Liberation War and democratic movement affairs secretary of the questioned DUCSU is propagating on his social media has thwarted the aspirations of all democratic movements, including the 2024 mass uprising, by distorting the history of Bangladesh's Great Liberation War. Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Dhaka University, vehemently rejects such impudent distortion of history.

Prior to this, what DUCSU's Liberation War and democratic movement affairs secretary Fatima Tasnim Juma wrote on social media is presented here exactly:

“December is the glorious month of our victory and of being recognised by our own self-identity. The much-desired victory of 1947 was achieved only through the 200 years of struggle by Tipu Sultan, Titumir, Rajab Ali Habildar, Mangal Pandey, Lakshmibai, and thousands of other martyrs against British exploitation, who were hanged by the British government.”

“Before the joy of victory could be enjoyed, the darkness of exploitation in the name of governance once again descended upon this unfortunate region. From there, the state-aspiration of Bengal and Bengalis was born. A bloody war of nine long months began. The much-desired independent sovereign territory was achieved in exchange for the blood of thousands of martyrs and the honour of thousands of sisters. Our martyrs gave us a piece of red and green flag, a new exclusive land, a country, and a nationality.”

“Nevertheless, our state-aspiration was not fulfilled. Under the torment of dictatorship, misrule, corruption, fascism, hegemony, enforced disappearances and murder, and judicial and extrajudicial killing, this small country and its people are repeatedly exhausted and devastated. 2024 has brought before us another opportunity to fulfill the state-aspiration. The names of those who committed betrayal along this path to success, just as they did in the post-71 period, will one day also be uttered in history; with double the hatred.”

“Today marks the start of the great Victory Month, respect to all the martyrs who gave us a new self-identity—whose blood we can never truly evaluate.”

Chhatra Dal also criticised the Dhaka University administration for not taking any initiative for decorative lighting in the university during the Victory Month of December.

They said in the press release that although it is a special tradition of Dhaka University to celebrate the Victory Month of the Great Liberation War from the beginning of December by decorating and beautifying various important university buildings, including the Arts Building and Curzon Hall, through decorative lighting by the university administration, this time it is not being done at all. In the context of such an unsightly and irresponsible reluctance on the part of the administration to celebrate the glorious history of the Liberation War, an extremely adverse reaction has been observed from the students.

The Dhaka University unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal is expressing strong condemnation and protest regarding the administration's irresponsible negligence in celebrating the Victory Month of the Liberation War, it added.