By Maloy Kumar Dutta and AKM Kamal Uddin Chowdhury
DHAKA, Feb 20, 2019 (BSS) – Former DUCSU Vice-President Tofail Ahmed has underscored the need for maintaining unity and harmony among all active student bodies to make the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) effective for creating future leaders of the country.
“If the DUCSU could be made effective, students’ representatives from this platform will lead the nation in future taking lessons from the golden past of student politics, including the 1952 Language Movement, the 1969 mass upsurge and the 1971 Liberation War,” Tofail, who was DUCSU VP in 1968-69 term, told BSS in an interview at his Banani residence here on Tuesday.
A veteran Awami League leader and parliamentarian, Tofail recalled that everything in the country was virtually under the control of student bodies at the time the 1969 mass upsurge.
“The student bodies ruled the country under the banner of Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad led by Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU),” he said.
Asked about the current scenario of student politics, the former Chhatra League president said now ideological student politics is not prevailing in the country.
“There is no student politics based on ideologies now. After Bangabandhu’s assassination, the military rulers, particularly General Ziaur Rahman and General Ershad, polluted the student politics by using them for their personal purposes,” he said.
He said Zia, as a president of the country, took students on river cruises with a view to polluting the student politics.
“Military rulers wanted to destroy the student politics so that students could not wage movement,” he observed.
Before the independence, Tofail said, the characteristics of student politics were different as student bodies did politics maintaining ideologies and principles having individuality apart from the mainstream politics.
“We, the student leaders, never went to the dais of Awami League. On the other hand, Awami League leaders too never used to sit on our dais,” he said.
Tofail said only Bangabandhu, as an Awami League leader, was present on the dais of a programme of students when he became the president of Chhatra League.
“We made intellectuals chief guests in our programmes. Intellectuals Agartala case accused Shamsur Rahman Khan, Ruhul Quddus, Fazlur Rahman and journalist Sirajuddin Hossain were made our guests,” he said.
Now the scenario of student politics is getting changed as students go on the dais of national leaders and the mainstream politicians also do that, he said, adding, “The political culture changed following Bangabandhu’s assassination and the student’s politics got harmed.”
About the long overdue DUCSU and hall union polls slated for March 11, the former minister said a neutral and transparent election should be held and it doesn’t matter whoever will be elected.
“In our time, we, the student bodies, had differences of opinions and paths but we were friends. We had very deep social relations. We stood by each other in our well and woes. But in tables, we used to debate,” he said.
“Our opinions were different from Chhatra Union (Matia) and Chhatra Union (Menon). We used to debate but afterwards we took uniform decisions for the sake of the country and its people,” he recalled.
“For example, it was not easy to formulate the 11-point programme. We, the Chhatra Sangram Parishad, had included Bangabandhu’s six-point, students’ problems, nationalisation of jute industry into the 11-point,” he said.
He said from DUCSU election, the journey of holding students union polls should begin and election to RUCSU, CUCSU and JUCSU and other universities and colleges, including private ones should be held.
“If the student leaders remain honest and imbued with ideology, the elected leaders of students union will lead the country in future,” he said.
After being elected as DUCSU VP or GS, none should act as a ruler rather he or she should work for the welfare of the students, Tofail suggested.
“The student community should represent the conscience of the people. We (Awami League) are in power. If the student leaders think the government is doing any wrong they should protest it. They should make constructive criticism of the government,” he said.
He said regular students would stay in dormitories while irregular students and outsiders have no rights to stay in the residential halls.
“It is the duty of the students and the authorities as well to maintain a congenial atmosphere on the campus,” he said, adding if that is possible, the DUCSU will be successful.
“I think coexistence of all student bodies should prevail on the campus. I went several times on the campus recently. I saw the atmosphere is good now. I saw in newspapers that Chhatra Dal (BNP’s student wing) is now going to Madhu’s Canteen on the campus. They sat with the Chhatra League. We also did that. With differences in opinions, we, the representatives of different student bodies, also used to sit at Madhu’s Canteen and take foods. We spent our golden days in our student life,” he said.
“We never used to lead a lavish life. We used to travel in third class compartments in trains. When we went to Barishal by rocket (steamer), we used to travel in the third class. We maintained an ideology,” he said.
“When we travelled by train to attend political programmes, train was halted at different stations and key points. I thought people might be annoyed. But I was wrong people did not get annoyed. With much enthusiasm, they rushed to stations from distant places to listen to our speeches,” he recalled.
He urged the student bodies to take lessons from the golden period of student politics to be pro-student leaders