University Condemns Jamat Leader’s Slur Against Campus Integrity

The administration of Dhaka University (DU) has issued a scathing rebuttal following inflammatory remarks made by a senior leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The controversy erupted after a public address in which the university’s historic central students’ union was characterised in deeply offensive and derogatory terms.

A Deplorable Rhetorical Attack

During an election rally held on Saturday night in Patharghata, Barguna, Md. Shamim Ahsan, the Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat’s Barguna district branch, launched a verbal assault on the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU). Speaking in support of the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Barguna-2 constituency, Sultan Ahmed, Ahsan claimed that prior to the influence of Islami Chhatra Shibir (the student wing of Jamaat), DUCSU had served as a “den for narcotics and a brothel.”

Ahsan further asserted that his organisation was responsible for purging corruption, extortion, and “social evils” from the campus, positioning the religious-political group as the sole architect of the university’s moral reformation.

Official Stance of Dhaka University

In a formal communiqué released via the Acting Director of the Public Relations Office, Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, the university administration expressed its “deepest condemnation” of what it described as “obscene, vulgar, and imprudent” rhetoric.

Defending a Century of Heritage

The university’s statement emphasised that such unfounded allegations strike at the heart of the institution’s prestige and dignity. DUCSU, often referred to as the “Second Parliament” of Bangladesh, has historically been the cradle of the nation’s democratic movements, including the 1952 Language Movement and the 1971 Liberation War.

The administration noted that categorising a platform of such historical significance with “profane language” is not merely a political oversight but a deliberate attempt to undermine the academic and social sanctity of the country’s premier educational establishment.

Repercussions and Public Outcry

The remarks have sparked widespread indignation among the student body and alumni. Critics argue that using a university’s reputation as a tool for electoral leverage in rural districts is a dangerous precedent. The university authorities concluded their statement by requesting all parties to maintain decorum and respect the sanctity of educational institutions, warning that “ignorant” assertions would not be tolerated in civil discourse.