BNP against ban on student politics
Stating that the entire student community should not be blamed for the 'misdeeds' of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), BNP on Monday voiced strong opposition against imposing any ban on student politics, reports UNB.
"A move to ban student politics on the pretext of bad politics, including terrorism, corruption and bloodshed, is part of a deep-rooted master plan," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan central office, he further said, "Those who spoiled the student politics and demeaned it by encouraging violence, grouping and abetting in establishing supremacy on campuses are now trying to ban it."
He said students are the enlightened section of society who identify the anomalies of the state and put up resistances against those. "The student community has been standing against unfairness, injustice and inequality in society for ages. They sacrificed blood by joining the Language Movement, Liberation War and other democratic movements."
The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party has faded that glorious tradition of the student community.
"After the country's independence, the journey of Chhatra League began through snatching ballot boxes and assaulting female students at the Shaheed Minar. Their successors have now developed cruel and destructive torture system at university halls ignoring the rules and regulations."
Rizvi also accused the ruling party student wing BCL of setting up torture cells at different halls with the backing of the government.
"Students were killed one after another by Chhatra League. The killing of talented student Abrar Fahad is the manifestation of such dangerous acts (of Chhatra League)."
He also alleged that Chhatra League has been raised over recent years in such a way that they do not bother about any social values and ethics. "The student community or student politics cannot be blamed for their (BCL's) misdeeds."
The BNP leader said a negative impression has created among common people about student politics due to the 'unruly activities' and intra-party violence of the BCL.
"The government has created such a situation in a planned way. Chhatra League is nothing but an oppressive organisation without self-respect. So, it's not appropriate to put student politics on the dock due to Chhatra League's activities."
About the elections to Chattogram's Satkania and Jhenaidah's Maheshpur upazila parishads, he said the ruling party men indulged in vote rigging' by driving out the agents of BNP candidates from polling stations and obstructing voters.
He said the ruling party 'cadres' obstructed voters from going to the polling stations taking position on the streets with roads, sticks and sharp weapons.
"There has been a festival of deception in the two upazilas in the name of voting."