Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Supernumerary Professor, University of Dhaka:
The government behaved with the students protesting for safe roads pretty much the same way it had with the quota reformists. There is no democracy in Bangladesh, or else, there would never have been attacks, lawsuits, arrests and harassments against the students. The distressed parents want the safe return and safeguard of their detained children from further lawsuits.
Students protesting for safe roads came to the streets by protesting peacefully. Their successful movement has brought a great change
in our country. However, we have not yet seen any significant alteration in the traffic system. The government’s role in this regard has also been unsatisfactory. The country is under a fascist regime. Law and order is very lacking. Injustice has become the norm. If the government wants, it can easily free the detained students; but it instead is taking them into remand and torturing them.

Flexing muscles in front of general students is an especially appalling offense. Universities are facing difficulties in continuing their activities under such situations. Since February, there have been multiple police attacks on students. When the Vice Chancellor’s residence was vandalized, instead of apprehending the perpetrators, police filed lawsuit after lawsuit against the protestors. Police arrested them and put them in remand as well. This would never have happened had the rule of law been followed. The government’s conduct in this regard has been very disappointing.

Based on an interview by Muhammad Naeem, translated by Abrar Hussain