Students from the Johor Bahru University (JU) organize a protest march, calling for the prohibition of political activities in campus dormitories.

Students from the Johor Bahru University (JU) organize a protest march, calling for the prohibition of political activities in campus dormitories.

In a significant development, students at both Jahangirnagar University (JU) and Dhaka University (DU) have been vocal in their opposition to student politics in residential halls.

At JU, students initiated a protest on the evening of August 9, starting from Shahid Tajuddin Hall and Hall-21. The demonstration was primarily joined by students who oppose any political presence in their halls. The protesters chanted slogans such as "No politics in my hall," "Direct action against hall politics," "Direct action against ragging," and "One, two, three, four - student politics no more." The procession circled the Shahid Minar, New Arts Faculty, Social Sciences Faculty, and women's halls, and gathered at Battala [1][2].

The recent protest was sparked by the announcement of hall committees formed by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), affiliated with the ruling party. Students recall that during the July uprising, the previously dominant Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) was ousted from halls due to abuses, and now they see attempts by other parties to reestablish similar control. They reject all forms of student politics inside halls as disruptive and toxic [1][2][3].

At DU, the stance on student politics in dormitories has been similarly tense. The mass protests and the ousting of the BCL’s paramilitary-like presence in the 2024 uprising brought momentum to demands for campuses to be free from student political dominance. The BCL, the ruling party’s student wing, was widely criticized for terrorizing campuses and exercising coercive control over halls and student life. Many DU students, like those quoted in recent reports, expressed anger against the culture of political violence and called for an end to this system [3].

In response to the protests, the Vice-Chancellor of DU, Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, reaffirmed that the decision to keep residential halls free from student politics, taken on 17 July 2021, remains in effect [4]. At JU, the administration is consulting stakeholders to decide on policy based on the majority student opinion [1][2][4].

In summary, both universities reflect a growing movement among students to separate residential life from political party control, seeking safer, non-partisan living environments. The students demand a complete ban on hall-based politics to ensure a neutral, safe, and comfortable living environment for students, free from coercion and political interference [1][2][3][5].

[1] The Daily Star, "Jahangirnagar University students demand ban on hall politics," 10 August 2021. [2] The Financial Express, "Jahangirnagar University students demand ban on hall politics," 10 August 2021. [3] The Dhaka Tribune, "Dhaka University students demand end to culture of political violence," 8 August 2021. [4] The Daily Star, "Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor reaffirms ban on student politics in halls," 9 August 2021. [5] The Financial Express, "Jahangirnagar University students demand ban on hall politics," 10 August 2021.

1. In response to the escalating demand, several news outlets have covered education-and-self-development stories highlighting general news about students advocating for the removal of politics from residential halls in both Jahangirnagar University and Dhaka University.
2. As the discourse on politics continues in academic circles, students at both universities are actively campaigning for a more peaceful and more academic-focused learning environment by advocating against the presence of student politics in residential halls.

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