The High Court (HC) on Monday stayed the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology authorities decision banning student politics on the university campus.
There is no bar to do student politics on the campus of BUET following the High Court order, lawyers concerned opined.
The vacation bench of the HC comprising Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar came up with the decision after hearing on a writ petition filed by ruling Awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Imtiaz Hosain Rabbi.
It also issued a rule asking why the decision to ban student politics on campus should not be declared illegal.
Soon after the High Court order, BUET VC Prof Satya Prasad Majumder said, "We have to comply with what the HC order says, and we cannot be accused of contempt of court."
"We are yet to receive the HC order," he added, noting that upon receiving the order, they will follow legal procedures accordingly, the VC said.
After the HC order, petitioner lawyer Supreme Court Bar Association secretary Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque told reporters that BUET authorities might have impose certain restrictions on holding processions and meetings. But they do not have the power to ban the politics of any organization as the decision is contrary to the articles 37, 38 and 39 of the constitution.
"Right to assembly, political party and freedom of speech are our basic rights," he noted.
However, the BUET Ordinance 1961 has empowered the VC and Pro-VC to take certain steps to control student politics. As a result, they can impose some restrictions on holding processions and meetings. But they do not have the power to ban the politics of any organization, the lawyer added.
Student politics was banned on the campus after a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League men murdered a second-year student named Abrar Fahad at the universitys Sher-e-Bangla Hall on October 7, 2019.
Despite the ban on student politics following the murder of student Abrar Fahad, a few leaders and activists of the Chhatra League allegedly entered the campus. They carried out political activities on March 27 night.
Earlier on Friday, BUET students boycotted all sorts of academic activities after witnessing the Chhatra League staging a return to political activity on the campus.
Expressing their anger at the incident, the protesting students placed several demands on the BUET administration in written form, including the expulsion of Imtiaz Rabbi and students who assisted him in entering the campus at night.
Quickly responding to that protest, the university authorities revoked Rabbis dormitory allotment.
On Saturday, Chhatra League organised a counter-programme and demanded the lift of the ban on student politics on the campus and giving back its leader Imtiaz Hossain Rabbi his hall allotment within 24 hours.
Earlier in the day, BUET unit Chhatra League leader Imtiaz Hossain Rabbi filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the universitys decision of banning student politics on the campus.
The BCL leader sought a directive on the university authorities to allow student politics by staying the previous decision. After hearing on the petition, the HC bench lifted the ban on the student politics in the university.
Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque with the assisted of Barrister Harun-ar Rashid appeared on behalf of the petitioner during the court proceedings.
