Abdul Malek: The First Sacrifice of Bangladesh Student Politics
Student politics has been a thing in the subcontinent ever since universities started opening. Political parties had their youth wings composed of students in every university. With how toxic politics could get, it was no surprise that student politicians would have violence of their own in time. Today we look back on one of the earliest violent incidents that took place due to the toxic nature of student politics.
The Victim
Name: Abdul Malek
University: Dhaka University
Affiliation: Islami Chatro Sangha
Abdul Malek was a third-year student of the biochemistry department of Dhaka University and was a student leader of Islami Chatro Sangha in Dhaka University. On 12 August, a debate and discussion in TSC regarding different political views happened. After the discussion ended abruptly and a clash between Chatro Sangha and Chatro Union plus BCL occurred, 8-10 BCL plus Chatro Union members killed Abdul Malek brutally.
Background
Back in 1969, there were mainly four student political parties in East Pakistan. These were: Chatroleague (AL's student wing), Chatro Union (NAP and Bangladesh Communist Party’s student wing), Islami Chatro Songho (Jaamat’s Student wing), and National Students Federation (Muslim League’s Student Wing).
The NSF was opposed by the other three organisations. After Ayub Khan resigned, the alliance that these three had crumbled instantly due to ideological clashes. BCL-Union stuck together and were in opposition to Chatro Songho. As a result, clashes between them became inevitable. For example, the vision of a secular education system vs. an Islamic one.
Incident
Days before the incident took place, there was a meeting organized by NIPA about the topic of Secular education vs Islamic Education-which would be the pathway for an education system in East Pakistan. Malek through his charm and logical statements managed to raise support for an Islamic Education System among general students in that meeting. This enraged Chatro Union and some Chatro League folks who were against such an outcome.
The debate and discussion organised by DAKSU on 12 August 1969 was regarding this as well, however Islamic Chatro Songho and Abdul Malek were banned from this meeting due to what happened in a similar meeting before. Thus Abdul Malek and his fellow Islamic Chatro Songho members protested against this in TSC. This ended up becoming violent later on due to aggressiveness of the Chatro Union. As a result, when Abdul Malek and Mohammad Idris were going through racecourse ground after leaving TSC, they were attacked. 8-10 BCL-Union members attacked them like terrorists, hitting Malek with a brick on his head and then inserting an iron rod through his brain, thus ensuring his death. Mohamamd Idris was also badly injured.
Reactions
Jaamat e Islami was naturally mortified when they heard of this incident. Them and their student leaders tried to gather around Dhaka Medical College Hospital frequently to check on the condition of Malek. On August 15, when they came to know he had taken his final breath, they broke down in tears. On 16 August, during Janaja, they pledged that they would be willing to become martyrs for Islam and avenge Abdul Malek.
"From the blood of Abdul Malek, a lakh martyrs will be born"
- Syed Abul A'la Maududi
Ittefaq and Dainik Azadi also condemned this incident in their editorials and lamented at the state of student politics reaching such violent heights. Dainik Sangbad encouraged discussion instead of debate to stop such incidents. The weekly Jahane Nao stated the attack was purely Islamophobic. The pictures of the incident in Racecourse were published in different dailies as well.
From the pictures, certain perpetrators were identified, and cases were filed against several high-ranking BCL and Union members, including Aftab Ahmed (future Gonokontho editor), Mahfuz Anam(currently Daily Star Editor),Mujhahidul Islam Selim(CPB president back then), Badiul Alam(future Organizing Secretary of BCL),Mahfuz Ullah(future President of Bangladesh Chatro Union), AFM Mahbubul Haque (future JSD/BSD leader),Dr.Mahbub Ullah(General Secretary of Chatro Union back then) and Golam Mohiuddin Khan (Maoist Chatro Union Leader back then).
The ones who were accused gave a different interpretation of the event, stating Islami Chatro Songho never wanted to do meaningful discussion and their slogans ended up enticing people and also stated that the violence was overplayed. They stated while Malek was heavily beaten up—the incident of the iron rod and brick was fake.
Student politics in Bangladesh has left a legacy of blood since that day. There have been meaningful positive outcomes that came out of student politics; however, over time the violent elements took over again and again. In the current day and age, student politics has become nothing but a tool to do institutional bullying with the support of powerful political parties. It no longer brings productive discussions to the table but rather has created a culture of violence in universities, which should be places for productive discussions and should have a peaceful environment for educational purposes.
Sources
- Azam, Professor Golam- JIbone Ja Dekhlam (5th Part), Kabiyab Publication, Dhaka, Page 283-2842, 2853)
- Dainik Ittefaq, 17 August 1969
- Dainik Azadi, 18 August 1969
- Dainik Sangbad, 17 August 1969
- Saptahik Jahane Nao, Dhaka; Azam, 5th Edition, Page 288-2897
- জামায়াতে ইসলামী উত্থান বিপর্যয় পুনরুত্থান- মহিউদ্দিন আহমদ
