The end of conventional student politics and the systems that are replacing them

With the fall of the autocratic Awami regime, things have changed with much haste. The student wing of the previous government, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), had chapters in almost all educational institutions across the country. Donning the veil of being the students' voice, they had established a free haven of criminal activity, extortion, and drug abuse on campuses often leading lives like upstart monarchs through means of brute force, intimidation, and control over student hostels.

From the very beginning of the students' quota reform protests, these well-known oppressors were stripped of any power they presumably held and chased away from hostels and campuses. In the aftermath of the revolution, we are seeing many campuses being declared free from student politics. We asked around campuses of different universities and tried to find out why student politics failed, how it became a tool for violence, and what are the systems replacing them.

Why did student politics fail on campuses?

Students mostly agree that student politics on campus had nothing to do with voicing the demands of common students. Student politics had mostly morphed into being its parent party's muscle power on campuses and chanting empty rhetoric.

"Despite being a students' organization, BCL never tried to work for student's rights. Rather, they forcefully enforced unpopular Awami League policies and exercised power as if they were above the law. There was no accountability for the power they exercised. We were made to understand them not as political activists but as henchmen of the autocratic regime. Even student wings outside of power weren't concerned with student's rights. They were more concerned with holding power themselves. These things widened the chasm between student political parties and general students," said Atiqur Rahman, a resident student of Masterda' Surja Sen Hall at Dhaka University.

Another student of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Abdul* said, "Stigma against conventional dirty politics and political leaders having no opinion of their own and blindly chanting whatever the central command tells them to were the main reasons why student politics failed. Allegations of corruption, favouritism, and misuse of power are additional factors which eroded trust in student politics as well."

What are the systems replacing them?

In a post-autocratic regime, most campuses are left with a power vacuum. There needs to be an elected or appointed body to convey the students' demands to the authorities. On some campuses, Bangladesh Chatra Dal is trying to make a comeback and on others, student wings of different national parties are trying to exert their control.

When asked what kind of system will be replacing BCL on his campus, Sheikh Jahinur Rahman, a student of Mugda Medical College said, "We have democratically decided on electing a council consisting of 10/12 elected delegate members from each running batch. The council will then decide how to tackle an issue. After the issue is resolved, we have decided the council will be dissolved immediately. A new council will again be elected for future issues. We have agreed upon this system because we believe that even an elected body holding executive power for a specific tenure is susceptible to abusing that power. So, we've made all executive positions temporary."

Another student of Chittagong University (CU), Anowar* said, "Most students on our campus don't want the return of legacy student wings like Bangladesh Chhatra League, Bangladesh Chatra Dal, or Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir considering their past records. But we do want a CUCSU similar to Dhaka University's DUCSU, through which students can exercise activism and convey their demands to the university authority. But they shouldn't be allowed to represent any political party on campus. A lot is still up in the air. However, one thing is certain. A majority of students here do not want the resurgence of student politics in its old form and want a ban on conventional student politics."

What are the checks and balances required to stop the abuse of power by student leaders?

We've seen earlier that student parties advertising a mandate of 'equality and development' transform into nothing short of criminal mafias. Therefore, restraints need to be imposed before allowing any student body to hold executive power. Be it elected or selected.

Abdul said, "Transparency and accountability are required for any position of power to function without corruption."

Anowar added, "Student leaders and activists of tomorrow need to stay in touch with students and their demands. Any representative who doesn't understand the pulse of the general students cannot execute the will of the students."

Holding executive power leads to opportunities for abuse of power. Reforms are therefore essential in the case of representative student bodies. Without lasting reform, the current systems being established will remain at risk of backsliding into age-old maladies and becoming non-functional.

Benjamin Franklin was once asked whether the new United States would be a monarchy or a republic. He answered, "A republic, if you can keep it." This is a sentiment that rings true for democracy and our freedom on campuses. Students across the country have shown courage and resilience in the face of autocracy and continued the struggle that successfully brought down a tyrannical government. Now they must remain vigilant on their own campuses so seeds of autocracy and fascism may never again bear fruit in our educational institutions.

*Names have been changed upon request for privacy

Mehrab Jamee is an activist at Sandhani, a medical student, and writes to keep himself sane. Reach him at mehrabjamee@gmail.com