Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) held a protest on Friday, September 20, calling for a ban on all political affiliations involving students, teachers, officers, and staff. The protest began at 3pm at the university’s Shaheed Minar, where more than 100 students gathered before marching through the campus.
The protesters chanted slogans like “Political affiliations lead to drug syndicates and rape,” and “We are all JU students, no place for politics.” Their main demand was to end all political activities on campus. The students also asked for the revival of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students' Union (JUCSU) and punishment for those involved in violent incidents that occurred from July 14-17.
One of the students, Shakil Islam from the History Department, said: “We do not want any politically affiliated activities on campus. The administration must ban all such activities and restore the student union for a better campus environment.”
In response to the protest, JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Kamrul Ahsan said that banning student politics without thorough discussions would be rash and could lead to further problems. He stated that the issue needs careful consideration and consultation with all concerned parties.
The protest ended after the vice-chancellor’s comments, but the students warned that they would take stronger action if their demands are not met by Sunday.
This rally has brought attention to the ongoing debate over the role of politics in educational institutions and has raised questions about the balance between student rights and political engagement on campus.
