The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The one-man Judicial Inquiry Commission, formed to investigate the August 20-22 incidents on the Dhaka University campus, in its report emphasized strict maintaining of institutional rules by law-enforcing agencies to avert further such troubles. The Justice Habibur Rahman Inquiry Commission submitted the report with 30 recommendations to the Chief Adviser at 3pm today (Thursday). Talking to journalists at his Circuit House office in the afternoon, the head of the Commission said the student agitation on August 20 was spontaneous, but the incidents were diverted to a different way later in the afternoon of August 21.

"The fighting between DU student Mehedi and army member Mustafa Kamal at the university playground was just an accident. Then the students brought out a procession protesting the incident, which was spontaneous. But, the incident turned into a provocation from August 21 afternoon as many vested groups got involved in the campus incidents," he said.

Habibur Rahman said all the law-enforcing agencies, teachers and students will have to strictly maintain their respective institutional rules and regulations to avoid further such incidents. In his report, Rahman also recommended forming own security forces of the Dhaka University to maintain law and order on the campus. Justice Habibur said the DU student demonstration had turned violent due to sentimental involvement of the students and the army men. The inquiry commission report also recommended resumption of activities of all hall unions and DUCSU units to increase the participation of general students in realizing their own demands and needs.

It recommended the government to consider the matter of detained DU teachers and students sympathetically in the larger interest of academic atmosphere in the university.

The report also blamed direct involvement of teachers and students in politics for the Dhaka University violent agitation. "The teachers and students cannot be directly involved in party politics. Some politicians and student leaders had instigated the DU students to divert the spontaneous student protest," he said. In the report, he also recommended amendments to the "Commission of Inquiry Act 1956" as inquiry commission formed to probe any incidents cannot make any judgement.