BCL men at it again!

On Wednesday, BCL leaders and activists confined the Vice Chancellor of Begum Rokeya University (BRU) to his office, demanding appointment of BCL leaders to university posts. The story is not new. Last December, BCL men stopped a recruitment test at Rajshahi University and forced job seekers out of the examination hall. They had been pushing the authorities to give the job to BCL men. Last month, BCL activists refused to allow examinees at Chittagong University to enter the exam hall, because the authorities did not allow one of their men to sit for the exam. In the same month, BCL men clashed with law enforcers and construction workers in Chittagong over the issue of construction of a swimming pool.

At this point, we cannot euphemistically say that this is the work of a few errant members. The cases are too numerous to count. What this points to is a lack of discipline within the BCL. These men know they can get away with such activities with minor reprimands in most cases. And that many of these threats are directed at and inside universities speak loads of the culture that seems to have permeated the BCL – not even educational institutions are sacred.

In January, we published an editorial lauding our Prime Minister call to the BCL on the occasion marking their 69th founding anniversary that they should prioritise education above all else. Yet, not much has changed. We urge the central leadership of the party to push for a change to this culture of violence and hooliganism in the name of student politics. Implementation must come from the top in this regard.