RU ruckus

The disputes that have resulted in Sunday's shocking display, of course, have an internal political character with feuding among teachers and students fuelling the fire of discord. This time the fault-line is between JCD activists who feel that teachers and students connected to the BNP have been marginalised and the Jamaat-leaning administration. One dispute which has been simmering is over the composition of a panel of probables for the VC's position and the other cause for complaint is over alleged partisanship in the apportionment of admissions quotas.

The rioting students who ransacked administration buildings, the Deans Complex, and science buildings, and even went so far as to assault some of the RU teachers, reportedly belong to the anti-Jamaat faction of the JCD. The faction leaders responsible for the destruction are on record stating that they resorted to violence due to the admissions quota issue, but it is generally accepted that they were also protesting the exclusion of a BNP-leaning pro-VC from the panel of three out of which the new VC will be chosen.

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This kind of blatant political thuggery in an academic institution is highly deplorable. The faction responsible for the rampage should be held criminally and financially responsible for the damage they have caused. This will hopefully serve as a deterrent to future misconduct of this sort and send the message that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated, even among student leaders from the ruling party.

This kind of organised political violence and intimidation is unacceptable. The ruling party must take responsibility for the actions of its student wing and move swiftly to put its house in order.