The student-people uprising that ensued from the demand for the reform in job quota system has brought an end to the nearly 16 years of Awami League rule. Abu Baker Majumder, one of the coordinators the Students Against Discrimination, the platform that led the movement, spoke to Prothom Alo’s Asif Howladar about various issues including the formation of the interim government and abolition of politics of grabbing in student politics on campuses.
What is the next goal of the Students Against Discrimination leadership?
Abu Baker Majumder: A hope arose among people after the Students Against Discrimination movement began demanding reform in the quota system in government jobs. That desire was to reform the state and constitutional bodies, which became weak due to misrule, to make them people’s institutions. If the interim government wants any cooperation the Students Against Discrimination will continue to cooperate.
Now we are seeing various hopes and desires among people as demands that include bringing transparency in the judiciary and establishing justice are arising. Since the representatives of Students Against Discrimination are in the interim government, we are cooperating with them to work on these issues.
Wrongdoings are being reported under the banner of the Students Against Discrimination from various places? What is your message on it?
Abu Baker Majumder: No committee has been announced by Students Against Discrimination anywhere in the country since the fall of Sheikh Hasina on 5 August, but we see committees being formed under our banner in various places and we have already disowned those committees.
When a big movement or event takes place opportunists try to take advantage of it. Students Against Discrimination has waged movement peacefully since the beginning and was never for damaging state properties. Those who are carrying out the wrongdoings we do not think they belong to Students Against Discrimination. Anyone who belongs to Students Against Discrimination must work for the state and the people.
If it becomes necessary to drive out someone from the university hall because of their involvement in crimes we would urge the students to follow the proper process and to do so through the university administration. The hall administration will take action based on the evidence. Student must not take the law into their own hands anywhere.
Do you have any plan to form any political party with those who are in the leadership of Students Against Discrimination?
Abu Baker Majumder: Students Against Discrimination has not yet reached any such decision. What we have tried in the last movement was to bring the demand of people to the front. If people have any such hope or desire from us in the coming days, we will try our best to implement it.
There have been lots of talks of late on student politics on campuses. What are your thoughts on student politics?
Abu Baker Majumder: Students Against Discrimination has not yet reached any decision on student politics, but we have repeatedly said we will never accept the politics of grabbing that existed on campuses and in halls earlier.
We have tried to speak to many students and prepared several proposals based on it. First: only the hall administration will exercise the authority on seat distribution. Second: the Bangladesh Chhatra League did ill-politics by dividing a hall into various zones and then shared or grabbed the rooms among various zone-based groups. This zone-based influence must stop, and our proposal on the matter is when the administration distributes seats they should reshuffle it. After that, politics based on zone or room will reduce. Third: the seniority of the resident students will get priority during seat distribution to halls, and four: the administration must order people with no studentship to leave the halls immediately.
Thank you.
Abu Baker Majumder: Thank you.
* This interview appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna