Bangladesh: Islamist Party's Decision To Hold Event At Historic Madhur Canteen In Dhaka Slammed

(MENAFN- IANS) Dhaka, Feb 24 (IANS) The growing tension between student wings in Bangladesh has come to the fore once again as Bangladesh Nationalist Party's Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatradal and Jamaat-e-Islami's Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir are targeting each other over an event that was organised at Dhaka University's Madhur Canteen.

BNP's Chhatra Dal protested on Sunday against a press conference called by Islami Chhatra Shibir at the Madhur Canteen, insisting that it tarnished the image of the historical birthplace of student politics in Bangladesh.

The Madhur Canteen at Dhaka University was founded by Madhusudan Dey who was martyred on March 25, 1971 during Operation Searchlight, the ruthless armed operation conducted by the Pakistani forces.

According to the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir staunchly supported an undivided Pakistan and played an anti-independence role during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Chhatra Dal said that Shibir should thus stay away from the premises of Madhur canteen and hold moral accountability for the murder of Madhusudhan Dey, reported Bangladesh's leading daily Dhaka Tribune.

Chhatra Dal lashed out at Shibir for disrespecting the Bangladesh Liberation War, disgracing the freedom fighters and martyrs.

Recently, the two student wings were also involved in violent clashes that took place at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) which injured more than 100 students. Both sides had blamed each other for initiating the violence.

Just before her ouster in August 2024, then PM Sheikh Hasina had alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party used the student movement for quota reform as their shield to unleash a reign of terror across the country.

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