Questions have been raised over the silence of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair, who has previously been outspoken against homosexuality, following allegations involving a hall union leader backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Ducsu has also made no public statement on the matter despite widespread discussion on campus. On Saturday, a video went viral alleging that two individuals were involved in homosexual activity in the room of
Ibrahim Khalil, assistant general secretary (AGS) of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall Students’ Union. Just a day earlier, following the detention of a young man at Surja Sen Hall over allegations of homosexuality,
Zubair wrote on his Facebook page: “A homosexual youth has just been detained on campus. The judicial process is under way. Our position against the trans and LG community has always been, and will remain, unchanged.”
A video circulated afterwards appeared to show the young man being severely beaten by several people, although Zubair was not seen in that footage.
Asked by TIMES of Bangladesh why he had remained silent on the Shahidullah Hall incident, Zubair said, “We are working on the matter. Our position against homosexuality has always been clear and remains so. We are proceeding through the proper administrative process.
“Pressure is being applied on the university administration to take the necessary action.”
Despite having previously spoken publicly on issues relating to homosexuality and LGBTQ matters, Zubair has not posted a single line on his Facebook page about Saturday’s incident.
During the last Ducsu election, Islami Chhatra Shibir neither announced a panel for the hall unions nor officially endorsed any candidates. However, students said that most of those elected are associated with the organisation, and that Ibrahim Khalil is also involved in the same stream of politics.
A video that spread on Facebook on Saturday evening showed two individuals being detained inside Ibrahim Khalil’s room.
In a Facebook post, Ibrahim Khalil’s roommate, Anay Chowdhury, wrote that the two guests had been found in a compromising position.
Later, Ibrahim Khalil wrote on Facebook that although the incident took place in his room, he had neither prior knowledge of nor any involvement in it. He said the guests had come for medical treatment and that he was not present in the room when the incident occurred.
After learning of the matter, the hall union AGS expressed regret and assured that he would cooperate with any investigation.
Like Zubair’s silence, Ducsu’s lack of comment has also become a topic of discussion on campus.
A Ducsu office-bearer, requesting anonymity, told TIMES that there had been no formal discussion of the matter within Ducsu.
Manowar Hossain, convener of the Surja Sen Hall unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, told TIMES, “Islami Chhatra Shibir uses religion for politics.
Double standards have repeatedly been seen within the organisation, and this is another example. When they do something themselves, it is not considered wrong, but they criticise others. Now that one of their own has become involved in homosexuality, they have fallen silent. This is hypocrisy.”
University Proctor Israfil Ratan told TIMES that no written complaint had been received. He said the university had seen the matter on social media and would review it before deciding on the next course of action.
After the video went viral, a group of students at Shahidullah Hall held a procession at night demanding an investigation into the incident and action against those responsible.
