The Madhur Canteen at Dhaka University was founded by Madhusudan Dey who was killed on March 25, 1971 during Operation Searchlight. The image of the historical birthplace of student politics in Bangladesh has suffered a massive dent since the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus took over. Student wings of radical Islamist parties which staunchly supported an undivided Pakistan have established control over the premises of Madhur canteen, shaming the sacrifices made by the country’s freedom fighters. At least 10 people were injured following a scuffle that broke out between two groups after a new student organisation ‘Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad’ was launched at the initiative of former leaders of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) Rival groups have now called for a ‘Dhaka blockade’ on February 28, the day members of SAD and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee are planning to launch a new political party in Bangladesh, reported local media. Last week, violent clashes at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) had left more than 100 students injured.
