A clash erupted between police and students of Brac University in the Badda area of Dhaka on Thursday (July 18, 2024) when the students gathered there as part of the ‘complete shutdown’ programme.  The situation turned worse as police fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse the students in the morning in front of the university campus. Witnesses said the university students started coming to the campus in the morning and took to the streets. ‘Complete Shutdown’: Protestors, police clash in Dhaka’s Uttara; police box and 2 buses vandalized As police chased them they went up to the gate of BRAC University. They came back together again and chased the policemen, triggering a clash. The students chased the policemen to Badda U-loop. However, additional police were deployed in the area to control the situation.   Deputy Officer-in-Charge Abdul Haq Abbasi of Badda Police Station confirmed the clash, stating that one police officer was injured and is receiving medical treatment. Students allege that police entered their campus and lobbed tear gas and sound grenades, resulting in several injuries, though the exact number is unknown. Shutdown cripples capital city amid clashes between police and protesters Apart from Brac University students, students from several nearby colleges and North South University also gathered, engaging in clashes with police. A tense situation has been prevailing with fears of further confrontations.

BRAC University, a renowned private university of the country, today issued a statement clearing its stance over the recent incidents involving part-time teacher Asif Mahtab Utsha and demonstration by some students on the campus. BRAC University said it believes, like all great institutions of higher education, its role should be to create space for all views to be discussed and debated constructively, predicated on tolerance and respect. The university said that it considers any act of vandalism towards national property as unacceptable behavior and does not tolerate or support such activities. Read more: Youth with disabilities deprived of learning, employment scopes: Study “The recent act of tearing pages of a textbook published by the Government of Bangladesh, included in the national curriculum for students enrolled in 7th grade in schools, and asking others to do the same in a public forum, is an act of vandalism, a behavior not supported by BRAC University,” the statement reads. The university said, it therefore, cannot offer a part-time teaching contract to Asif Mahtab Utsha for the Spring 2024 semester. However, the university will compensate him for his time and efforts towards his preparatory work for Spring 2024. BRAC University said it respects and fully complies with the country's constitution and laws on all matters. Accordingly, it does not promote homosexuality as has been alleged by some quarters in various social media content. However, BRAC University said it believes in equal rights and opportunities for every single human being to realize their potential. Read more: Jamaat congratulates dismissed BRACU teacher Asif Mahtab, criticizes govt’s education policy

A recently published report jointly conducted by The Asia Foundation and BIGD of BRAC University revealed that only 39 percent of the participants agreed that Bangladesh is heading in the right political direction and about 48 percent disagreed. The report is based on a survey titled ‘The State of Bangladesh’s Political Governance, Development and Society’. It sheds light on Bangladeshi citizen’s perception about the political, economic, and social atmosphere of the country. The survey collected data from 10,240 adult men and women, representing all 64 districts, between November 2022 and January 2023. The same survey was also conducted in 2019, 2018, and 2017. The survey respondents were asked whether they thought that the country is heading in the right direction – socially, politically, and economically. IRI Survey: What accounts for Sheikh Hasina’s sustained popularity? While a modest majority, 58 percent, agreed that Bangladesh is heading in the right direction socially, 39 percent disagreed, the report said. This perception was the lowest for economic direction, with only 25 percent saying that the country is heading in the right economic direction and whereas 70 percent disagreeing. These percentages, across all three domains, are significantly lower than what they were in 2019, indicating a considerable deterioration of public perceptions about the country’s future. On the question of democracy, about 54 percent of the respondents in 2022 agreed that one party plays a dominant role in politics and governance, which was reported by an even higher percentage, 72, of the respondents in 2019. Vegetables and egg prices decline a bit, but not enough to calm consumers: UNB market survey However, in 2019, only 11 percent thought that the dominant party’s impact on politics was negative. This year this percentage is notably higher – 34 percent, said the report. Regarding the Rohingya crisis, 34 percent of respondents said they would welcome them in their community in 2018, which was reduced to 15 percent in 2019 and to 13 percent in 2022. About 44 percent feel that the government is doing a lot and 44 percent were of the opinion that the government is doing enough to support the refugees, it said. About Padma Bridge, 72 percent said that it is the most important success in Bangladesh; 47 percent credit the bridge’s construction to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while 28 percent credit the Bangladesh government. Unemployed population increased by 2.70 lakh in 1st quarter of 2023: BBS survey The report also identified that the lower income group’s positive response regarding the country’s economic direction, in particular, decreased considerably compared to the higher income group. “In 2019, about 84 percent of respondents with a monthly income of Tk 5,000 or less said the country is heading in the right economic direction; only 32 percent said so in 2022,” it said. “As the major problems facing Bangladesh, price hike came out as the top problem, mentioned by 44 percent of the study respondents. And when specifically asked about the impact of price hike, about 84 percent of all respondents in 2022 said that it has severely impacted their lives. Other significant problems mentioned by the respondents included business downturn, unemployment, corruption, and political instability,” the report added. CPD survey reveals Tk 1500cr social safety funds spent on ineligible beneficiaries

The country’s youths with disabilities are being deprived of learning and employment opportunities in the country, said a study conducted by Sightsavers & BRAC University. It also said such young people are also facing multifaceted challenges in terms of equal livelihood. “They’re often also deprived of their rights as per the Disability Act 2013,” said the study report released on Thursday at a programme jointly hosted by Sightsavers and BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health. The study project, “British Academy Youth Futures Research”, captured the experiences of young people with disabilities living in urban and rural settings in Bangladesh, said a press release. Also read: Chevron partners with Save the Children to launch integrated support for children with disabilities The research was conducted, led by a group of young peer researchers who have disabilities. They will be trained and supported to shape national policy on disability inclusion. State Minister for Social Welfare, Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru attended the programme as the chief guest. Dr Mrittika Barua and Sayema Akter from BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health of BRAC University presented the key findings of the research. Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trustee Board chairman Prof Dr Golam Rabbani and Sightsavers Bangladesh Country Director Amrita Rejina Rozario also spoke at the programme with Dr Malabika Sarker from BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health in the chair. The research tried to understand the experiences, aspirations, and challenges of youths with disability in their livelihood in Bangladesh and, to explore the inclusion of young people with disabilities into policy dialogues. The key objective of the study was to enhance the advocacy capacity of the youth with disabilities (peer researchers) so that they can advocate with the government and relevant stakeholders for their own rights. Speaking at the programme,  State Minister Ashraf Ali said research is an important component of societal development. “There’s no alternative to research for development.” He praised the research as it helped understand the aspirations of youth with disabilities in relation to livelihoods and determine barriers to realising those aspirations. Amrita Rejina said, “By employing young researchers with disabilities, we got an authentic insight, and the research has also empowered them to help shape and contribute to the policy decisions that affect their lives." Also read: Lack of reliable data affects policies on people with disabilities: speakers She said Sightsavers is committed to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities through research and other development initiatives. Amrita said the study followed the method of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and employed young people with disabilities from Sirajganj, Gazipur and Narsingdi districts as peer-researchers who worked alongside local and international researchers to gather and analyse data for the study.

The US Embassy in Dhaka has congratulated Eastern University for winning the 6th Bangladesh National Round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (Jessup) and BRAC University as the runner-up.   With the support of the U.S. Embassy, through the Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), Independent University, Bangladesh hosted the sixth Bangladesh national round of the Jessup from February 17-19.   Read:Egypt's Future University to co-host intl conference on restructuring of global economy OPDAT sponsored the participation of teams from 32 Bangladeshi universities and supplied judges for the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds.   Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was the chief guest and Vice Chancellor of IUB, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences of IUB, and Advisor of the Law Department of IUB addressed the participants. U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helen LaFave delivered remarks reflecting on the importance of the Jessup competition in promoting international cooperation and the rule of law.     “The advocacy skills that you develop through moot court will benefit you for the rest of your career,” she said.   LaFave also encouraged the participants to maintain their relationships with each other as they move forward in their legal careers and become the future leaders of Bangladesh.  Read: University of Michigan removes Schlissel as school president Jessup is the world’s largest moot court competition, which brings together aspiring law students from approximately 700 law schools across 100 nations and jurisdictions.  Competitors address fictional disputes between countries before the International Court of Justice.   The competition builds the oral and written presentation skills that are instrumental to aspiring lawyers’ overall advocacy skills and forges connections between international law students, said the US Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday.  The International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition 2022 will be held from March 24 to April 10. 

Adolescents in Bangladesh use internet and mobile phones in multifarious ways to build their confidence, such as learning new skills and engaging with global and local movements.

Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University on Tuesday celebrated the official start of the Refugee Studies Unit (RSU) virtually.

A virtual youth panel titled “WOMEN | PEACE | POWER: A Youth Perspective” was held Tuesday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security.

The University of Birmingham working with Brac University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) will lead a project to increase vaccine access in developing economies, such as Bangladesh with the support from the UK.

Experts from home and abroad have sought an unequivocal commitment from the world community to resolve the Rohingya refugee crisis in a sustainable manner and with a regional approach, recognising the fact that Bangladesh is currently hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas within its borders.