When the Far Eastern Economic Review printed a not so flattering
report on Bangladesh a few months ago, the government banned the
article. In the United States, when there is a threat of terrorism,
the call to ban all immigrants is loud and clear. When a student gets
killed by a stray bullet on a prestigious campus in Dhaka, there are
calls to ban student politics. Folks, "ban" is a dirty word. It is an
easy "solution" to all the world's problems. Simply plugging a leak
will not stop the problem. The ship will eventually sink.

Banning student politics will not solve anything except maybe give a
number of people one good night's sleep. Why don't we examine the
reason students are involved in politics? And please, let's not
compare the students of today to the students of the 50's and 60's.
What is the reason, there is so much political activity on campus? Is
it about power, territorial motivation, money, or is it really about
genuine politics. What do I mean about genuine politics? To me
genuine politics, is social activism, civic duty, and monetary
justice. Is this kind of politics active on campus?

As someone who has very little knowledge about his own motherland, I
pose these questions to the more knowledgeable members of this forum.
Please tell us, why students show any interest in politcs. Is it
because it is a method of releasing tension and pent up frustrations?
Why are students not interested in studying and doing well and then
making obscene amounts of money? Why would anyone be interested in
politics?

Banning will never achieve anything. Human nature will never succumb
to force or pressure. The more you ban the bigger the problem grows.
The solution has to come from within the campus and not by any
governmental decree.

Rahfat