Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote held a protest march and rally at Dhaka University on Wednesday afternoon, criticising “unequal” foreign treaties and demanding a resolution to the ongoing energy crisis.
The alliance also called for justice regarding the murder of Shamim Al Sureshwari and other instances of mob violence, alongside seeking solutions to the irrigation problems currently faced by farmers.
The protest march commenced from the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) and paraded through various areas of the campus before concluding with a rally at the DUS Chattar.
Presided over by Jabir Ahmed Jubel, central coordinator of Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote, the rally was moderated by Mozammel Haque, convener of the Socialist Students’ Front (Marxist) Dhaka University unit.
The protesters presented a four-point charter of demands, which includes resolving the energy crisis to ensure irrigation for farmers and conducting neutral investigations to ensure justice for mob violence and killings, specifically citing the case of Shamim Al Sureshwari.
They further demanded the release of Emi, detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and Bishwanath Mahanta, who was detained in “false cases” during the anti-fascist movement, while ensuring freedom of expression.
Additionally, the alliance sought justice for those involved in the July “genocide,” including Hasina, and an immediate halt to military operations and “political killings” in the hill tracts.
Addressing the rally, Jabir Ahmed Jubel criticised a recent trade agreement with the United States, alleging that while the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have endorsed it, the interim government had shown undue haste in finalising the deal.
Jubel stated that the victims of this trade agreement are not those sitting in parliament, who he claimed are more concerned with securing air-conditioned rooms and vehicles for themselves rather than reviewing the trade terms.
Nayeem Uddin, vice-president of the central committee of the Revolutionary Student Youth Movement, highlighted the plight of farmers who lack fuel for irrigation pumps while politicians engage in “banter” in parliament regarding their own privileges, such as requesting personal vehicles.
He also criticised the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, stating that while they use slogans like ‘Bangladesh First,’ they remain indifferent to “unequal treaties” with US imperialism.
Other speakers at the event included Tamzeed Haidar Chanchal, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union; Samar Chakma, president of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Hill Students’ Council; and Sayedul Haque Nishan, president of the Democratic Student Council.
