ET Desk:
Even six months after the mass uprising, students involved in the anti-discrimination movement continue to face threats, including cyberbullying and death threats. Both ordinary students supporting the movement and leaders of various student organisations are being targeted, leaving many in a state of mental distress.
Reports indicate that members of the banned student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League—from central leadership to Dhaka University and even district and upazila levels—are allegedly involved in these threats. Recently, students of Dhaka University’s Law Department have been harassed through phone threats, social media attacks, and the spread of fake videos.
Victims claim that Chhatra League activists are collecting personal information about protesting students and their families, publishing it online, and using it to intimidate them.
Students speak out
Kawsar Hamid, a student from Dhaka University’s Law Department, told Jago News: “Since the Law Department students vandalised a mural of Sheikh Mujib, Chhatra League members have been continuously threatening us. They are calling us online and offline, even threatening our parents.”
He further alleged that his siblings’ national ID card details were being shared on Facebook by Jagannath Hall Chhatra League Organising Secretary Rajib Biswas and Central Sports Secretary Mehedi Hasan Shanto, among others.
Another student, Sulaiman Ali, said: “Some of the threatening calls are from Bangladesh, while others come from international numbers. The language used is extremely abusive. They are adding female students to Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram groups, where they are subjected to harassment. Fake pictures and videos of female students are also being spread online, which is deeply humiliating.”
In response, affected students have filed a general diary (GD) at Shahbagh Police Station, providing evidence of threats, including 30 Facebook IDs and more than 10 domestic and international phone numbers. The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit is currently investigating the matter.
Similar threats have been reported by members of the Anti-Fascist Coalition, who previously repainted Sheikh Mujib’s graffiti at Dhaka University and staged a shoe-throwing protest. Nafisa Islam Sakafi, a student of Psychology at Dhaka University, has also reported facing cyberbullying and threats.
Beyond Dhaka, similar threats and attacks have been reported in Chattogran, Gazipur, Rangpur, and Gopalganj, raising concerns over law and order and the safety of protesting students.
Student organisations respond
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib said, “It is disheartening that even after such a major movement, students continue to face threats from Chhatra League, and yet the IT department has taken no action. If these threats materialise into violence, Chhatra Dal will stand against it and ensure student safety in an organised manner.”
One of the key organisers of July Uprising, Abu Sadiq Kayem, who is now central publications secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir, said, “Cyberbullying is a serious issue, and law enforcement is showing a lack of cooperation. I personally filed a GD, but no action has been taken. The authorities have the means to track down the culprits, but they are not doing so. If just a few perpetrators were arrested, these incidents would decline significantly.”
Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Coordinator Abdul Kader said, “The interim government and administration are responsible for law and order and bringing Chhatra League goons to justice. But they have completely failed. In response, we have formed various support cells, including a legal aid cell and a hotline number, to assist victims of cyberbullying and harassment.”
As the situation escalates, students continue to demand action from law enforcement to ensure their safety and uphold their right to protest without fear.
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