Editorial
Disgraceful!
How can students beat to death a fellow student?
THE incident in which a private medical college student was beaten fatally by some students at SM Hall to which the former succumbed has been both disgraceful and appalling. It speaks of the moral degradation of a section of students who lose their calm at the slightest pretext and take the law in their own hands. We are not ready to hear whether the young student of Bangladesh Medical College was guilty of stealing a cell phone from the room where he was staying overnight as the guest of a friend. All we want to know is what right the students of that particular dormitory had to beat the life out of that young man. Moreover, different reports point at elements of mystery in the way the young man was accused and how the execution took place. What was expected of the hall students was to hand over the alleged offender to the police with evidence, if any. But instead of doing that, they acted on their own and brutally like no one with student identity is expected to do. The tragedy makes us wonder whether the price of a cell phone is more than that of a human life!
Dhaka University is one of the highest seats of learning in the country with many glorious chapters to its history. The students of this institution gave bold and timely leadership in all the noteworthy student movements during the pre-liberation days that ultimately culminated in the final war for the liberation of Bangladesh. SM Hall has a long and splendid past with enviable records of its residents excelling in academic results, competitive examinations, outdoor and indoor sports and cultural activities. But the deplorable incident of killing a student on Friday on suspicion of theft has tarnished the reputation of both DU and SM Hall.
We find the incident totally unacceptable and demand a thorough investigation by a neutral body to identify the culprits. Dhaka University has no place for cold-blooded murderers and the sooner they are brought to book the better for the country. We believe the hall authorities should also be more proactive in keeping records of the outside guests who come to stay overnight with friends. Such regulatory measures would ensure the safety of students and their guests in future.
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