Editorial
Editorial

Put an end to intimidation: Why delay in meeting students’ demands

The leaders of ‘anti-discriminatory student movement’ protesting with the demand of quota reform held a press conference on Tuesday and submitted their four-point demand to the government for the mitigation of the ongoing crisis. We believe their demands reflect the minds of the people of this country.

The demands include reactivating internet, lifting of curfew, opening the residential halls by ensuring suitable environment in coordination with the government and the administration after removing the law and order enforcement forces from the university campuses and ensuring the security of the coordinators of the movement.

Law minister Anisul Huq said earlier that the demand students had made of reforming quota has been fulfilled. The students’ demand was that 95 per cent of the recruitment in government jobs will be based on merit and the remaining 5 per cent on quota. The court had directed 93 per cent of the recruitment to be on the basis of merit and the government has also issued a circular accordingly.

With astonishment we noticed that three ministers had looked for the protesting students to collect their list of demands before the verdict of the court. But, they didn’t even feel the need to discuss the matter with the students once the verdict had been passed. The students gave the government an ultimatum of two days last Sunday to meet their demands. And, they forwarded their eight-point demand after meeting three ministers of the government at the state guest house, Padma on Friday.

So many deaths and so much destruction could have been averted if the quota reform movement of the students had not been seen from a hostile perspective right from the beginning. The government should immediately find a peaceful solution. Meeting the demands that the students have forwarded is not tough.

The government has already relaxed the curfew and the internet service has also been activated in limited scale. The industrial factories have been reopened as well. In that case we don’t see any problem in taking an initiative of reopening or announcing the dates of reopening the universities.

One of the organisers Nahid Islam said at the press conference, “We want to present our final demand before the nation after discussing with everyone. We are under security threats. We want an end to this situation. The movement will continue until there is justice for the deaths.”

Another organiser Sarjis Alam said, “Let the government talk to the university administrations within Thursday to create a suitable environment so that the students can return to all the campuses on Friday. When we will announce the end of the movement is depending completely on the government.”

There’s nothing illogical among the demands of the anti-discriminatory student movement protesters. Not only the protesters, the responsibility of ensuring the safety of any student or citizen relies on the government. Why should the citizens face intimidation in a free country?

The father of a missing protester was present at the students’ press conference. He sought the whereabouts of his missing child. Another organiser said they are constantly under the threat of arrest, abduction as well as physical and mental torture. There are allegations that many such leaders and activists have gone missing or have been tortured.

Can you imagine such incidents in a free country? Maintaining law and order situation and intimidating the public is not the same thing. If the government wants to normalise the situation of the country and restore a sense of relief in public life fast, the demands of the students have to be met. The result of keeping the culture of intimidation alive or application of force would not bring any good to anyone.