The Dhaka University (DU) administration came under sharp criticism on Tuesday and Wednesday after the murder of Shahriar Alam Shammo, a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader, sparked outrage and renewed calls for the resignation of top university officials and the Home Affairs Adviser.
Shammo, a master’s student at the Institute of Education and Research and the literary and publication secretary of Chhatra Dal’s Sir A.F. Rahman Hall unit, was stabbed to death late Tuesday night in Suhrawardy Udyan—marking the second killing on campus in just nine months.
Protests erupted outside the Vice Chancellor’s residence on Wednesday, where angry students and JCD leaders accused the administration of a “catastrophic failure” to ensure student safety. Chants of “One demand, one call: VC must resign!” echoed through the campus. Funeral prayers for Shammo were held at the Central Mosque following Zuhr prayer.
JCD Central President Rakibul Islam Rakib condemned the authorities, saying, “This institution has become a hunting ground while the administration looks the other way.” He also accused university officials of ignoring rampant drug activity around campus, particularly in Suhrawardy Udyan, which he described as “overrun with drugs” and a “safe haven for users.”
Chhatra Dal’s demands include the immediate resignation of the Vice Chancellor, Proctor, and the Home Affairs Adviser. They pledged to continue their movement until these resignations are secured.
Central General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir recalled the previous killing of a mentally unstable man named Tofazzal on August 5, criticizing the administration for repeated failures to maintain campus safety.
DU unit President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahos warned that patience was running thin: “We have behaved with tolerance. But if no visible action is taken within the next few hours, we will hold the interim government responsible.”
The protest march began at midday from the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture and passed through the Central Library premises, Madhu’s Canteen, and the Arts Building before concluding at the Vice Chancellor’s residence.
JCD leaders also criticized the administration’s silence over Shammo’s death and expressed doubt that justice could be served under the current leadership, which they claim failed to act even after crimes committed by members of the Chhatra League during previous student movements.
“We have lost our brother Shammo,” said Rakib. “We don’t want any more students to suffer the same fate. We will stay on the streets until we see real accountability.”
