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TL;DR
- Dhaka University forms a 7-member committee to investigate campus violence from July 15 to August 5, 2024, during the quota reform protests.
- The committee, led by Prof. Quazi Mahfujul Hoque Supan, has 45 working days to submit its report on illegal incidents and identify those involved.
- Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan initiated the committee on October 8, with official notification sent to members on October 14.
- The investigation aims to address the unrest stemming from the ongoing quota reform movement in Bangladesh’s government job sector.
Dhaka University has established a seven-member committee to investigate the incidents of violence that occurred on campus between July 15 and August 5, during the height of the quota reform movement and student uprising in Bangladesh. The committee, formed by Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan on October 8, has been tasked with submitting its report within 45 working days.
In a letter dated October 14, the university administration officially informed the committee members of their roles and responsibilities. The letter also mentioned that the committee has the authority to include additional members if deemed necessary.
Quazi Mahfujul Hoque Supan, an associate professor from the law department and provost of Sir AF Rahman Hall, has been appointed as the convener of the fact-finding committee. Other members include Acting Dean of Faculty of Law Mohammad Ekramul Haque, Professor Nadia Newaz Rimi from the Department of Management, Professor Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane from the Department of Botany, Provost of Shamsun Nahar Hall Nasreen Sultana, and Assistant Proctor Shehrin Amin Bhuiyan. Sheikh Ayub Ali, the university’s Deputy Registrar (Investigation), will serve as the committee’s secretary.
The committee’s primary objective is to investigate the illegal and violent incidents that took place on the Dhaka University campus during the specified period and identify the individuals involved. The findings will be used to initiate appropriate administrative action against those found responsible for the violence.
The formation of this committee comes in the wake of the widespread protests and unrest that gripped Bangladesh earlier this year, as students and activists demanded reforms to the country’s quota system in government jobs. The protests, which began peacefully, turned violent as clashes erupted between demonstrators, police, and the ruling party’s student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League.
The quota reform movement, which has been ongoing since 2013, seeks to reduce the allocation of government jobs based on quotas and shift towards a more merit-based recruitment system. The 2024 protests were sparked by a Supreme Court decision to reinstate a 30% quota for descendants of freedom fighters, reversing a government decision made in response to the 2018 protests.
As the committee begins its investigation, the university administration and the public await the findings, hoping that the report will shed light on the events that transpired and help prevent future incidents of violence on campus.
Source: TBS News
