Left-wing student coalition demands legal action against Rajshahi University student leaders following mob violence incidents
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A coalition of left-leaning student organizations at Rajshahi University, the Democratic Student Alliance, has formally demanded the prosecution of student leaders and members of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) and Shibir for a series of mob violence incidents. The alliance submitted a five-point memorandum to Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Alim on Thursday, citing an urgent need to address the deteriorating security situation on campus.
The demands follow a violent incident on July 27, when the alliance alleges that top-tier leaders from RUCSU and Shibir subjected three students to repeated physical assaults inside the university’s central library. According to the coalition, this act of mob violence has instilled widespread fear among the student body and caused significant damage to the university’s reputation.
The memorandum asserts that student representatives lack the legal authority to investigate or punish peers, a role reserved exclusively for the university’s proctorial body. The alliance claims that the RUCSU General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary, while in the presence of university officials, forcibly checked a student’s mobile phone and assaulted him. They argued that the proctorial body’s failure to intervene—and their implicit condoning of this extrajudicial behavior—has deeply undermined the democratic environment of the campus.
Beyond the library incident, the coalition has called for a comprehensive investigation into the aftermath of the July uprising, including the harassment of students at the “July 36” hall and allegations of Quran desecration across seven residential halls. They further demanded the release of a long-awaited investigation report concerning an attack on the alliance’s torch procession and urged the administration to hold the current proctorial team accountable for failing to prevent recurring violence.
In their statement, the alliance leaders expressed deep frustration over what they described as a “culture of impunity.” They highlighted that evidence, including video footage of previous attacks on their members by Shibir, was submitted to the administration over a year ago without any formal resolution. They warned that this continued lack of accountability has emboldened perpetrators and created a permissive atmosphere for extremist tactics.
The coalition concluded by criticizing the administration for its perceived inaction, noting that students are wary of a return to the university’s historical cycle of political violence, including turf wars, weapons usage, and targeted assaults. By failing to take decisive action against these recurring threats, the alliance contends that the university administration is drifting toward an undemocratic campus culture that leaves students vulnerable to unchecked aggression.
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