Why partisan student politics must end

The recent clashes in Khulna University of Engineering and Technology -- reportedly involving Chhatra Dal, Shibir, and anti-discrimination students -- which erupted on Tuesday over a demand to ban student politics at KUET, witnessed at least 50 individuals injured, with many serious wounds from sharp weapons.This has to be one of the biggest incidents of bloodshed in any university campus premises since the July uprising, where the demand of the students to ban student politics was ostensibly left unheard.

Although there has been political rivalry among student wings of political parties, nobody expected such violence within six months of a literal revolution, particularly insituation where any political party has yet to come into power. Once again, the question arises: Why should partisan student politics on campus premises not be banned once and for all?After the tragic death of Abrar Fahad, student politics was banned at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

In the five years since that decision, not a single student publicly advocated for the reinstatement of political activities on their campus. When a group of Chhatra League (BSL) members, led by Imtiaz Rabbi, attempted to reintroduce their political presence, the university community collectively opposed them. Notably, no one argued for the return of student politics in general.The consensus among students was unanimous: Political activities have no place within the university. The absence of student politics has not hindered BUET’s progress; in the same breath, the university has experienced one of its safest and most academically focused periods in recent memory. Any current or former student can attest to the positive impact this environment has had on their educational experience.

Private universities in Bangladesh have consistently prohibited political activities on their campuses. Despite this restriction, no student political group has ever publicly challenged or filed legal petitions against these policies. The underlying reason is clear -- political groups and the university administrations understand that allowing partisan activities would compromise the academic environment.Private universities, which rely on student tuition fees, prioritize maintaining a stable educational setting. The governing Boards of Trustees, composed of influential figures, ensure that political interference is not permitted. However, public universities present a different scenario -- these government-funded universities do not have the same structural independence as private universities. As a result, student political organizations find easy access to public universities.