'During 2013 Shahbagh movement, intellectuals' hypocrisy prolonged fascism'

Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Vice-President Md Abu Shadik Kayem has alleged that police attacked private school teachers in a "fascist manner" while they were demonstrating demanding housing and medical allowances.

He made the remarks today while addressing the closing ceremony of the Shaheed Ikramul Haque Sajid Memorial Inter-Department Debate Competition held on the Jagannath University campus.

"Teachers were demanding logical benefits, but they were brutally attacked. If we fail to value our teachers, the nation's education sector will fall behind," Shadik Kayem said, adding, "Bangladesh spends the least amount on education compared to many other countries, where 15-20 percent of the national budget goes to education and research."

Condemning the attack, he said, "For 16 years, we fought for freedom, but a section of intellectuals, journalists, and teachers, despite talking about liberty, supported Sheikh Hasina's oppression from the background. Students were tortured after being tagged as Shibir activists. Even in this campus, Biswajit was killed after being labelled a Shibir activist. During the 2013 Shahbagh movement, such intellectual hypocrisy prolonged fascism."

Speaking as special guest, Professor Muhammad Bilal Hossain of JnU History Department, said, "The main task of a university is to produce good human beings and a knowledge-based society. I hope the JnU unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir will continue to contribute to that goal alongside the university authorities."