DU students divided over Shibir Committee

Reactions from Dhaka University (DU) students to the revelation of the DU branch of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir (Shibir) have been mixed.

The identity of the full committee of the DU Shibir committee is still unfolding. Recently, SM Farhad, the general secretary of DU Islami Chhatra Shibir, came forward. This marked Shibir’s reemergence on the campus after three and a half decades.

The president of the DU branch of Chhatra Shibir appeared publicly on Saturday, September 21. A student named Md Abu Shadik Kayem identified himself as the current president of the DU branch of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir in a post on Facebook. However, no official statement from Islami Chhatra Shibir has been issued.

This announcement sparked discussions across social media. Md Abu Shadik Kayem, a student of Surjasen Hall from the 2016-17 academic year in the Department of Political Science, was also a coordinator of the first committee of the anti-discrimination student movement.

Some were shocked by Shadik's emergence, while others expressed concern about Shibir conducting politics openly.

Shadik is known for his active participation in movements. Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, he attended the swearing-in ceremony of the interim government at Bangabhaban.

On Sunday, Abdul Quader, a coordinator of Students Against Discrimination, posted an analysis of the background of the movement’s 9-point demand, mentioning SM Farhad, the secretary of Shibir's DU branch. Farhad is a student from the 2017-18 session at the Social Welfare and Research Institute, DU, and resides in Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall.

A photo circulating on social media shows DUBSL General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Saikat sitting with Central Chhatra League Technical Education Affairs Secretary Rakib Siraji.

While some sources claim that Saikat was active in Chhatra League politics. A student from Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall said: "He was definitely part of Chhatra League, but he didn’t participate very actively; he might have done it to maintain his residence in the hall."

What are other student political leaders thinking?

People choose political parties to uphold their core values. If leaders fail to do so, it raises questions about their moral standing, says Nahiduzzaman Shipon, general secretary of the DU Chhatra Dal unit.

However, he declined to comment on SM Farhad’s involvement in Chhatra League politics, stating that he hadn’t seen any official statement from Chhatra Shibir regarding its DU committee.

Dilip Roy, central president of Biplabi Chhatra Maitree, criticized Farhad's alleged involvement with Chhatra League as politically immoral.

He claimed that many Shibir activists within Chhatra League had helped establish a fascist regime and engage in political repression in recent years.

He described Jamaat-e-Islami as a partner in crime with the Awami League, emphasizing that this is not the first time Jamaat-e-Islami has tried to stay close to power. During British rule, they aligned with the British, and during the Liberation War, they supported Pakistan, unequivocally opposing the war and participating in the genocide.

Maen Ahmed, general secretary of DU's Chhatra Union wing, remarked: "While it’s undeniable that they have faced pressure to come out publicly and engage in politics, being complicit in the actions of Chhatra League is not the only strategy. At some point, we must confront this reality. Chhatra Dal leaders and activists have also faced severe repression."

“The question is whether the ideology they espouse and the politics they are proud of foster dishonesty rather than the courage of Shibir activists,” Maen added.

In response to the allegations, SM Farhad denied any involvement with Chhatra League politics.

“I have no connection to any programs or activities of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research. I have never submitted a CV for any post or designation within BCL. It is the decision of the concerned student body who will be placed in the committees of the department or institute. Why should I be implicated when I am not involved with Chhatra League at the institute?” he said in a press release sent to the media.

Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, a party that actively opposed Bangladesh's independence struggle and sided with the Pakistan army during the Liberation War, was banned from operating by Paribesh Parishad, a platform made up of DU authorities and student representatives, following the fall of Ershad in 1990.

Earlier, on August 13, Chhatra Shibir formally participated in a meeting with 35 other student organizations held at Dhaka University. Many student organizations refused to participate in the meeting, viewing Chhatra Shibir's inclusion as a violation of the Paribesh Parishad’s rules.

Biplabi Chhatra Maitree, Democratic Student Council, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, and Chhatra Union (Mahir Reza) chose not to participate, as their leaders believe that including Chhatra Shibir and other religion-based student organizations contradicts the anti-autocratic, non-communal political aspirations of Dhaka University.