Newly elected Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) and hall union leaders submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor (VC), requesting to make the performance of the national anthem mandatory at the beginning of all programmes organised by them.
Ducsu and hall unions along with some general students submitted this memorandum around 5:25pm on Monday at VC’s Office.
The memorandum was submitted by Duscu executive member Sarba Mitra Chakma, Jahid Hasan, reading room secretary at Salimullah Muslim Hall union Ratul Dey, cultural secretary at Jagannath Hall Union, among others.
While submitting the memorandum Sarba Mitra Chakma complained that “the national anthem wasn’t performed in any programmes organised by the Ducsu and hall union,” with just one “exception” being the Abrar Fahad Memorial Program.
While addressing the issue, the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan said, “I will take measure upon identifying if this is the result of neglect, lousy behaviour or stupidity or systematic malign intention.
According to him, the national anthem should be performed at all formal university event, “I need to see the difference between these two. If that’s the case, then I’ll proceed accordingly,” he said.
According to memorandum submitters, currently, various meetings, seminars, and workshops are being organised at the university and halls under the auspices of Ducsu and the hall unions, but the national anthem is not being performed at the start of any programme.
“This is completely contradictory to Article 2(a) of Ducsu’s constitution, which states ‘to uphold and cherish the values of the independence struggle and the liberation war,” told Jahid Hasan, reading room secretary of Salimullah Muslim Hall union.
Jahid told TIMES of Bangladesh, “That’s why I took this initiative on my own accord. Yesterday, I submitted a memorandum to the Provost Sir of Salimullah Muslim Hall, and today I submitted a memorandum to the VC”
On Thursday, Hema Chakma, Ducsu executive member, demanded the reinstatement of music and physical education teacher positions in primary education.
