Student Politics: 1952 vs. 2010

Politics is for the greater interest of the society and the country at large. Keeping it in mind some students of Dhaka Medical College surrendered their highest belongings on February 21, 1952. We call it ‘ultimate sacrifice’. The movement led by student community in 1960s, 1971 and 1990 brought the most enormous and the greatest output for the country and for its well being which is known to all. It was much more than student politics and still now the nation remembers those brilliant politicians for their great contributions.

In 2010 we see the so called student politicians are just showing up their servile follower-ship to their supported parties in an illogical way. A couple of weeks ago several students were killed in different universities of the country by student community. In both of the before mentioned cases student community is related. But what is the output of the murders of the latter case? Bloodshed, closures of the universities, violence, prolonged session jam, damages of the infrastructure and academic environment. So where is the interest of the educational institutions, society, and country at large? If politics does not comply with the greater interest, why we should call it “Student Politics”. Recent happenings prove that the so called student politics has reached to its worst position and now we should call it "Student Terrorism". And this terrorism should not be allowed to go on and on.

For the development of leadership we cannot deny the significance of student politics in anyway. But this student politics must be centered on the issues related to the development of the educational institutions, curricular activities, and extracurricular activities. Student politics can be related with the development of better ideas by debating on economic, political, and socio-cultural issues which must be free from biasness of the political parties. All in all student politics must be for the well being and greater interest of the country rather than individual or any specific political party.

So we like to request our government to take a hand to ban the student terrorism in the name of student politics immediately before anymore lives to be worn out! Please do not give the burden of 1% of the students to 99% of the students of the university who are going to be the backbone of the nation.

February 21 is about to peep. Please look back 58 years ago. What was the vision of those martyrs? And think: Have we done any substantial works to honor their sacrifice. It is high time to think deeply otherwise as a nation we will definitely be a failure.

February 16, 2010