United News of Bangladesh

Students, mostly female ones, rocked their campuses with their overnight protests at different public universities, including Dhaka University, demanding immediate justice for recent incidents of rape and sexual harassment across Bangladesh. At Dhaka University, students from Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall gathered at the base of Raju Smrity Bhasjkarjya (Raju Memorial Sculpture) at midnight and started protests chanting various slogans. Students from other dormitories joined the protests and announced the Raju Smrity Bhasjkarjya as the ‘Anti-Rape Platform’ (Dharshan Birodhi Monch) to amplify their voices against rape and violence against women. They demanded the formation of a tribunal to ensure that justice is served without delay. The protests follow the recent harassment of a Dhaka University student allegedly by a Central Library staff member. College student raped in Ctg The protests intensified as the news of a child rape case in Magura triggered nationwide outcry, with the hospital authorities describing the child's condition as "critical." Besides, female students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet staged demonstrations demanding the death penalty for the rapist. Breaking open the gates of dormitories, the students came out of the halls and staged demonstrations for two hours starting at 1am. The students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) also staged demonstrations on the same demand around 3am. The Jahangirnagar University (JU) students blocked Dhaka-Aricha Highway, demanding toughest punishment of the rapist. Magura rape victim shifted to Dhaka CMH for better treatment They carried out the protest programmes around 2am.    The wave of protests also touched the students of Jagannath University as they took to the streets demanding death penalty of the accused.

Dhaka University students held a unique "Throw your Hate" programme on campus Saturday, on occasion of the 77th founding anniversary of the Awami League's banned student front Chhatra League. As part of the programme, students threw shoes at pictures of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, and other leaders of Awami League-Chhatra League, and burned effigies The event took place on Saturday afternoon, near the Raju Sculpture, where students under the banner of 'Dhaka University Students' Rights Watch,' condemned Chhatra League as "fascist and the perpetrators of injustice." During the programme, the students chanted slogans such as "Chhatra League is a terrorist, ally of criminals," "Throw shoes on Kader's cheeks, hit in rhythm," "Throw shoes on Saddam's cheeks, hit in rhythm," "Where is Chhatra League now?" and "Inquilab Zindabad, Mujibabad Murdabad." The "Hate Throw" event featured photos of Sheikh Mujib, Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Kader, Chhatra League Central President Saddam Hossain, General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, DU Rokeya Hall President Atika Binte Hossain, DU President Mazharul Kabir Shoyon, and General Secretary Tanveer Hasan Shoikot. A Chhatra League logo was also displayed. Read: Leader of banned BCL arrested in Dhaka city The organisers gave a bottle of Mojo to those who managed to throw shoes three times in the pictures. They also burned effigies of the leaders along with placards that read "Fascism," "Guestroom," "Ghonoroom," "New Slave System," and "Vital Program." One of the key organisers of the event, AB Zubair, a student of the Islamic Studies department, said, "This campaign has been organized on the founding anniversary of the banned Chhatra League to symbolically express the frustration of the students. Chhatra League used all forms of torture on students." He called for the immediate trial of Chhatra League members involved in student attacks. Mossaddiq Ali, a student of the Bengali department, said, "The fire from burning Chhatra League's effigy burns even more intensely in our hearts. On Chhatra League's founding anniversary, there was fear among the general students in the halls.” Read more: BCL leader arrested in connection with 2015 attack on Khaleda Zia's motorcade “They had pushed us towards modern slavery. By throwing shoes and setting their pictures on fire, we have buried oppression and dominance," he added.

In an era of rapid globalisation and technological advancement, social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube have become integral to students’ academic and informal learning activities. A recent study published in the Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research by Saiful Islam and A B M Najmus Sakib explores how Dhaka University utilised these platforms for educational purposes during the research period from January to December 2022. The findings shed light on the evolving patterns of social media usage among university students in Bangladesh. A recent study published in the Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research by Saiful Islam and ABM Najmus Sakib explores how Dhaka University students utilise these platforms for educational purposes. The research, conducted over an extensive period, sheds light on the evolving patterns of social media usage among university students in Bangladesh. Key Findings of the Study The study employed a mixed-method approach, including structured surveys and semi-structured interviews, to gather data from 130 Dhaka University students. The research focuses on the role of Facebook and YouTube in both formal academic studies and informal learning, guided by Social Learning Theory (SLT). Read: Should reform education system to create generation of entrepreneurs: Prof Yunus The theory emphasises learning through observation, imitation, and modeling—a process facilitated by these platforms. Demographic Insights Nearly half of the respondents, both male and female, belong to the age group of 20–22 years. A smaller proportion of students under 20 years (13.1%) and those above 22 years (approximately 40%) were also included. The respondents spanned different educational levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students, indicating that social media use cuts across all academic tiers. Facebook in Education The study highlights that Facebook plays a crucial role in academic activities, with 92.3% of respondents using it to enhance their studies. Common uses include: · Attending online classes. · Sharing academic materials via Messenger groups. · Providing feedback during live sessions. · Participating in group discussions. Facebook also serves as a hub for collaborative learning, with students uploading and sharing course content and class lecture links. YouTube’s Growing Role While Facebook dominates in academic contexts, YouTube excels in informal learning. About 75.4% of students rely on Facebook for informal study, compared to 79.2% who turn to YouTube. Popular YouTube channels such as 10 Minute School, Farjana Drawing Academy, and 5-Minute Crafts provide content on diverse topics ranging from graphics design and videography to spoken English and health-related tutorials. Read more: Britain keen to invest in Bangladesh’s youth education: UK Deputy High Commissioner Many respondents described YouTube as “the teacher of all teachers,” thanks to its vast repository of free, accessible educational materials. Impact of the Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the use of social media in education. The study notes that social networking platforms replaced traditional classrooms during lockdowns. Online education became the norm, with students increasingly relying on Facebook and YouTube for coursework, tutorials, and virtual group discussions. This shift underscores the necessity of integrating social media into the formal education system to address future disruptions. Call for Further Research The researchers recommend further sociological studies to analyze the role of other platforms like LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Twitter in educational activities. They also stress the need for a deeper exploration of the long-term effects of social media usage on academic and informal learning. This study highlights the dual role of social media as a tool for formal education and informal learning among the Dhaka University students. As the use patterns of platforms like Facebook and YouTube continue to evolve, their impacts on education in Bangladesh remain profound.

Democratic Student Council, a student organization formed with the leaders and activists of various left-leaning student organizations, on Thursday demonstrated on Dhaka University campus demanding release of Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuddin Shams. They brought out a protest procession from the Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University around 12.30 pm which ended at Raju Sculpture and then they held a rally on its premises around 12.45 pm. Their other demands include abolishing the DSA act, stopping extra judicial killings, justice for Sultana Jesmin who died allegedly under RAB custody. Dilip Roy, general secretary of Biplopi Chhatra Maitri, said, “The journalist was picked up in the early morning when people were sleeping. We have to move against this fascist government. Our promise is that we will fight with our last drop of blood against the fascist government that wants to suppress our voices.” Mitu Sarkar, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, said, “The act of abducting people and preventing the protesting voices by using DSA and detaining them in civil dress are the clear sign of a fascist government. We all have to stand against such activities.” Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams, working in Savar near the capital Dhaka, was picked up from his house in Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University in the early hours of Wednesday morning by the CID allegedly for publishing a fake and fabricated news. Later he was sued under DSA on the same day and a Dhaka court sent him jail on Thursday rejecting his bail plea.

The teachers and students of Dhaka University (DU) on Sunday demanded reopening residential halls, resuming classes and taking exams immediately maintaining health guidelines. Terming the ongoing closure of educational institutions 'illogical', around 100 students and teachers under the banner of "Hall and educational institutions open movement" formed a human chain at the base of Raju Memorial sculpture on the campus. Addressing the rally, Dr Md Asif Nazrul, Professor and Chairman of Law department, said, "If garments, shopping malls and vehicles can operate following health guidelines, why will the educational institutions remain closed? All educational institutions must be reopened by maintaining health protocols." Read COVID-19 causes biggest disruption of education system in history. "Affluent persons' children have sufficient means to learn from home but most students can't even manage a digital device or proper network to continue academic activities," he said. Dr Abu Musa Md Arif Billah, Associate Professor of the Department of Persian Language and Literature, said, "The education minister changes her decision over and over, and the university authorities comply with her."  Nusrat Tabassum, a DU student of the political science department, said, "All of the students have become frustrated because of a long gap both from studies and campus environment. Most DU students were dependent on tuition, but now they are fighting to survive." Also read: Schools, colleges to reopen on June 13: Dipu Moni "We hope that the authorities will soon consider reopening campuses and residential halls," she said. Moyajjem, a biochemistry student, said, "The education ministry has failed to create an effective policy during the pandemic situation. We hope the ministry will reopen our campus immediately." "We will continue our protest until the authorities concerned announce to reopen halls and the campus," he said. Read No assignments for secondary school students Later, the protesters brought out a procession and marched towards the vice-chancellor's residence.

Elections to both the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will now be held on February 1 instead of January 30.