Photo: Bonik Barta Prominent researcher
and thinker Professor Dr. Salimullah Khan has called on the government to
resign due to the conflict surrounding the quota reform movement. He stated,
"What is needed now, borrowing from an old saying, is a political
solution. The first step towards this political solution is for the current
government to apologize unconditionally and resign. Without this, we cannot
move towards any new system."
At a solidarity rally
of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) faculty members on Wednesday
(July 31), Dr. Salimullah Khan urged for the release of detained students,
withdrawal of cases, and ensuring a fair educational environment.
Regarding those who
died in the movement, Dr. Salimullah Khan said, "Those who died from the
bullets are our guiding lights. We must remember that we, too, could face death
or arrest. We stand with a vast wave of people. However, we did not come to be
swept away. As intellectuals, we must engage in self-criticism. We must provide
a detailed analysis of this problem."
Salimullah Khan
criticized the government's response to the crisis, saying, "Instead of
addressing the root cause of the ongoing crisis, the government is now talking
about banning this or that group. This does not tackle the main issue. But it
will only exacerbate it, creating a cancerous situation."
Commenting on the
state-sponsored killings in the quota reform movement, he said, "The
question of whether or not everyone will have the right to compete legitimately
in all government jobs, starting from the civil service of the country, is not
an apolitical question, rather a political one. However, instead of addressing
this political question politically, the government first tried to ignore it
and then adopted a repressive policy. The killings were committed by state
forces and their accomplices. We can call them private forces."
Dr. Khan pointed out
that the government is now providing various excuses to justify these killings,
saying, "They claim attacks were made on metro rail stations, Setu Bhaban,
or the Bangladesh Television building. It is still being said by
the government that the political opponents have entered this movement to
destroy the symbols of our development. Even if we accept this argument for the
sake of logic, why did the public support it at that moment? Why attack
Mirpur-10 or other metro stations? Those familiar with any colonial history,
even of European countries, know that people attack what they perceive as
symbols of power and arrogance."
Raising the question of
justice, Dr. Salimullah Khan said, "Now voices will gradually rise from
the people - do you ever believe that this government can do justice while in
power? They will not prosecute these killings because they are the killers
themselves. How can you seek justice from the murderers? Those who call others
'Razakars', are themselves Razakars. What greater farce exists in the world?
Murderers accuse us of murder; traitors accuse us of treason."
Mentioning that
Razakars are sitting all around at the highest center of power, he said, "They
are now also calling students who were born after 2000 Razakars. We stand here
not for the forgiveness of the souls of the deceased but for the forgiveness of
the souls of the living. Our primary call for forgiveness is for justice. We
demand a solution for the killed, injured, oppressed, and fugitives. This will
be possible when all the people of the country rise like them. They say this is
a student-youth movement, but it has turned into a national movement and will
continue to do so. The movement has not stopped and will not stop."
Dr. Salimullah Khan expressed
his stance, "We have written that the students should be released
immediately, why they are arrested. This is our demand. We said that the safe
educational environment of the universities must be restored. If our students
cannot attend, what will we teach? Who will we teach?"
