Change in student politics
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Academics, political leaders and civil-society members said Wednesday it was the time to thwart the present trend in student politics that kowtows to the agenda of the mainstream political parties, reports UNB.
They said the situation should be changed for a better educational atmosphere, and mass media could play a healthy role in creating a knowledge network between educational institutions and society.
"The students should do their own politics and solve their own academic and social problems through movement but not under banners of the political parties," said Vice Chancellor of Southeast University Shomsher Ali.
The Editor, an online newspaper and news agency, organised the discussion on 'What should be the structure of student politics in Bangladesh' in the city's CIRDAP auditorium.
Allegations have it that country's mainstream political parties use student politicians to establish a balance of power in the educational institutions as part of their national agenda to go to or stay in power.
Many argue that the student politics should be in place since it has a commendable contribution to the formation of the country and subsequent democratic movements. But many others say the situation is different now, and the old-style student politics as part of the national politics has lost its relevance in the present context.
Some senior political leaders said they (students) need to show courage that would stop blind loyalty of the student politicians to the mainstream political parties.
Pointing at the issue, Awami League (AL) presidium member Abdur Razzak urged the country's politicians, academicians, teachers, students and their guardians to come forward to change the present culture in student politics.
Broadening his focus, the AL leader said reform is also needed in national and teachers' politics alongside student politics.
Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told the discussion that student politics should be seen in the light of democratic concepts and people's expectations.
He said changes to the student politics should be driven by "goodwill" for a sustainable solution to the contentious issue.
"Nothing should be imposed and a way out must come without suppressing the issues that concern the people," he told his audience.
"All sensitive problems should be solved through discussion," he said.
Replying to a reporter's query, the education adviser said the kowtowing student politics has a relation with anarchy.
He, however, observed that the political parties did not like the anarchic culture.
Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Syed Anwar Hossain said student organisations should not be allowed to exist as a front organisation of a political party.
"It should be one of the main conditions for registration of the political parties with the Election Commission (EC)," he said, indicating the envisaged politico-electoral reforms underway in the interim period against the backdrop of the past political crisis over electoral issues.
BNP standing-committee member Mahbubur Rahman, AL organising secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna, women-rights activist Shirin Akter and country director of Hunger Project-Bangladesh Badiul Alam Majumder also spoke on the occasion.
They said the situation should be changed for a better educational atmosphere, and mass media could play a healthy role in creating a knowledge network between educational institutions and society.
"The students should do their own politics and solve their own academic and social problems through movement but not under banners of the political parties," said Vice Chancellor of Southeast University Shomsher Ali.
The Editor, an online newspaper and news agency, organised the discussion on 'What should be the structure of student politics in Bangladesh' in the city's CIRDAP auditorium.
Allegations have it that country's mainstream political parties use student politicians to establish a balance of power in the educational institutions as part of their national agenda to go to or stay in power.
Many argue that the student politics should be in place since it has a commendable contribution to the formation of the country and subsequent democratic movements. But many others say the situation is different now, and the old-style student politics as part of the national politics has lost its relevance in the present context.
Some senior political leaders said they (students) need to show courage that would stop blind loyalty of the student politicians to the mainstream political parties.
Pointing at the issue, Awami League (AL) presidium member Abdur Razzak urged the country's politicians, academicians, teachers, students and their guardians to come forward to change the present culture in student politics.
Broadening his focus, the AL leader said reform is also needed in national and teachers' politics alongside student politics.
Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told the discussion that student politics should be seen in the light of democratic concepts and people's expectations.
He said changes to the student politics should be driven by "goodwill" for a sustainable solution to the contentious issue.
"Nothing should be imposed and a way out must come without suppressing the issues that concern the people," he told his audience.
"All sensitive problems should be solved through discussion," he said.
Replying to a reporter's query, the education adviser said the kowtowing student politics has a relation with anarchy.
He, however, observed that the political parties did not like the anarchic culture.
Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Syed Anwar Hossain said student organisations should not be allowed to exist as a front organisation of a political party.
"It should be one of the main conditions for registration of the political parties with the Election Commission (EC)," he said, indicating the envisaged politico-electoral reforms underway in the interim period against the backdrop of the past political crisis over electoral issues.
BNP standing-committee member Mahbubur Rahman, AL organising secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna, women-rights activist Shirin Akter and country director of Hunger Project-Bangladesh Badiul Alam Majumder also spoke on the occasion.