Cumilla-4 lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah confronted former Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Akhtaruzzaman following Jummatul Bida prayers, questioning his role during alleged students abuse incidents linked to Bangladesh Chhatra League during his tenure.
A video of the roughly one-minute-40-second exchange, filmed on campus and later shared on a Facebook group, shows Hasnat along with several others surrounding the former VC as bystanders looked on.
During the exchange, Hasnat raised allegations from Akhtaruzzaman’s 2017–2023 tenure, including claims of student torture, forced participation in political rallies, and harassment linked to “guestroom” culture in dormitories. He accused the university administration of failing to take effective action and remaining silent.
When asked whether he felt remorse, Akhtaruzzaman responded, “Your words sound a bit off, don’t they, Hasnat? You were also among us.”
Hasnat denied the claim, saying he had opposed wrongdoing, including activities involving Chhatra League.
The conversation grew tense as Hasnat alleged that the former VC had once labelled him a “militant” at the Registrar Building—an accusation Akhtaruzzaman said he did not recall.
Pressing further, Hasnat said, “With you as witness, Chhatra League tortured, oppressed and persecuted students. Do you realise that?”
Akhtaruzzaman replied that responsibility for wrongdoing could not be attributed to one individual alone, though his response trailed off mid-sentence.
On the issue of controversial “guestroom” and overcrowded dormitory practices, the former VC acknowledged such systems existed during his tenure but claimed he had taken steps to shut them down.
“I had the initiative to close them,” he said, adding that his actions should be recognised.
Hasnat disagreed, saying those efforts were insufficient.
When asked if he was denying the complaint, Akhtaruzzaman said, “Denying is not right, denying is a crime,” but did not fully elaborate.
The exchange ended cordially, with both men shaking hands and exchanging well wishes.
The video also shows a tense environment, with some present students appearing visibly displeased. Hasnat maintained a restrained tone throughout and even asked those recording to stop, though filming continued.
The incident has added to ongoing political tensions on the DU campus involving rival student groups and differing narratives over past administrative roles and responsibilities.
NRE/AM
