DHAKA, Jan 15, 2025 (BSS) - Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) and Jatiya Nagarik Committee staged demonstration at Dhaka University campus protesting the attack on students in front of NCTB building today in the capital.

From the rally at the capital’s Central Shaheed Minar area at around 6:30pm, student’s leaders called for the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible for the attack.

Demanding quick and swift justice, ADSM convener Hasnat Abdullah said, “In 1971, we fought for equality, human dignity and justice.

 However, the Mujibist constitution sought to merge everyone under the identity of ‘Bengali,’ without recognizing the distinct identities”.

Hasnat urged the interim government to ensure recognition to all the ethnic groups and communities living in this country.

Jatiyo Nagorik Committee convener Nasiruddin Patwary said, “In 1972, constitution was formulated based solely on the Bengali national identity, excluding various other ethnic identities”.

“We demand the repeal of that constitution as it continuously fails to address the root issues.

 If we cannot address the core problems, it will make another betrayal of our independence”, he added.

Nagarik Committee member secretary Akhtar Hossain said there must be a deep conspiracy behind this attack. “The attackers can easily be identified through scrutinizing the video footage.

 The conspirators must be arrested and brought to justice,” he said.

“We must bring it to light if there are any foreign influences involved,” he added.
Jatiya Nagorik Committee Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam, ADSM’s spokesperson Umama Fatema, its chief organizer Abdul Hannan Masud and Arif Shohel also addressed the rally, among others.

In the morning, a student organisation named  Students for Sovereignty besieged the NCTB building, with a five-point demand, including punishment for those involved with incorporation of the word ‘indigenous’ and a map of undivided India in textbooks.

On the other hand, another group, under the banner of Aggrieved Indigenous Students and People, went to the NCTB premises to hold a programme for restoring the 'indigenous' graffiti in textbooks.
 
The Students for Sovereignty protesters were on the spot from the morning, while the 'indigenous' students and people went there around 11:45 am. Students for Sovereignty announced their programme on the previous day, while the latter’s programme was scheduled much earlier.
 
A scuffle broke out between two sides when the 'indigenous' students approached the NCTB premises.

The police went to the spot and took position between two sides. Around 1:00 pm, some people carried out an attack on the 'indigenous' students and people, leaving some of them injured.