Dhaka University, epicentre of anti-Hasina protests welcomes back students

After 112 days of complete shutdown, the gates of Dhaka University—the oldest public university in Bangladesh—finally reopened on Sunday.

The shutdown was triggered by student-led protests that toppled the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and forced her to flee the country.

Student leaders from the university were at the forefront of this historic uprising, some of whom were snatched by the police and held in custody for days. Despite this, they played a key role in the movement that has reshaped the political landscape.

This return to academic normalcy reflects a broader sense of life coming back to routine in Bangladesh, as the country adjusts to the new normal after the major political upheaval. However, the road ahead is likely to include further efforts to reconcile the emotional and political impacts of the uprising.

On campus, students and teachers claim that normal academic activities have resumed, according to the AFP. This is a big step in restoring calm across the nation, though challenges remain.

The lecture halls were full, and groups of students could be seen hanging around the canteen. Many students said that they felt good about returning to their classes and continuing in a new political environment.

Although academic activities have resumed, the first-year classes have not started yet. These are set to start next week.

The day started off with the university’s students and faculty observing a minute of silence in remembrance of those who died in the uprising.

“It was like we were in an oppressive era when we could not say anything,” said master’s degree student Kalimulla Al Kafi, 25, talking about the crackdown ordered by Hasina.

“Today it feels like I am attending classes with freedom,” he said. “We can express ourselves freely.”

In a statement to the students and faculty, Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, the new vice chancellor and development studies professor at the university emphasised rebuilding a peaceful and productive atmosphere on campus despite lingering tensions.

“Our country is currently at the crossroads. The July uprising has created a new set of expectations, and a new window of opportunity has opened up for the university community to translate the nation’s aspiration into reality. Within this context, time has come for us to embrace the new challenging reality. Let us embark together on an expedition of academic excellence, collaboration, and positive transformation,” he said.

The decision to reopen the university was taken after discussions with teachers and the student body. Assistant proctor Mohammad Mahbub Quaisar, who was appointed after previous administrators loyal to Hasina resigned.

The violence that erupted in Bangladesh during last month's anti-government protests killed more than 1,000 people making it the bloodiest period in the country's history since its 1971 independence, claimed the interim Health Ministry’s chief.

The violence erupted during a student-led movement against public sector job quotas, which later intensified into an uprising against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled to India on August 5 moments before hundreds of protesters stormed her residence.

An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus replaced Hasina's administration, quelling the violence that had flared for weeks before her departure, as security forces cracked down on protests and continued for some days after she fled.

Currently, Yunus, who is the country’s chief advisor, is in New York for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

This is his first trip abroad as the chief advisor. He is going to present the interim government’s vision of a democratic and inclusive Bangladesh at the UNGA.