No one has seen such a 'Dhaka University' surrounded by disaster before

10-year-old Ihan came to Dhaka University with his parents to stand beside the flood victims with his small bank. Not only Ihan, people of various ages, classes and professions, from corporate professionals to day laborers and rickshaw pullers, have come to Dhaka University's TSC with money and necessary items according to their ability.

Private cars, trucks, wheelbarrows are coming one after another, dropping dry food, dates, medicines, sanitary napkins, drinking water and other necessary items.

For many years, Dhaka University has not seen such a gathering of people of all classes, professions and ages.

The anti-discrimination student movement announced the public relief program last Wednesday in the flood situation in different parts of the country. Their program has received massive response. This activity is going on from morning to 10 pm.

In the TSC area, announcements are being made on the mike from time to time, 'Don't crowd the busy roads, maintain order'.

In almost all departments and residential halls of Dhaka University, students are collecting funds, dry food, necessary clothes for the flood affected people on their own initiative.

Not only Dhaka University, students of various universities and colleges are also working in the public relief program.

Naeem, a student of seven colleges affiliated to Dhaka University, said, 'Public relief collection booths have been set up next to the entrance to TSC. Relief is being listed there and kept in the indoor sports room of TSC. There, packaging is being arranged in the TSC cafeteria. They will reach the flood-affected areas by covered vans.'

He said that a few vehicles are leaving for the flood-affected areas since night.

Ashrefa, a student of Dhaka University, said, 'Yesterday, people gave money to the bank, development and other mobile financial services and cash throughout the day. Many people have been bringing relief aid and cash since morning. We estimate that the amount in cash alone will cross Rs 50 lakh tonight.'

“Many people are coming on individual initiatives and money and essential items are being sent in cartons by cartons from many institutions. So many things we have to increase our own manpower. Things are coming in trucks, vans, wheelbarrows,' he said.

Bhuiyan Asaduzzaman, a member of the anti-discrimination student movement's liaison committee, said, “Our struggle was against binary identity, against the wall that was put up between us. We have now reached a stage through the coup. The ideology of the individual will not become important here, the identity of the citizen of the country will become important. That's what's important. It is very positive that everyone is working together, forgetting their identity differences. We will continue to work towards making this happen in the days ahead and mobilizing more people.'

If asked, Dhaka University (DU) Sociology Department teacher Dr. Samina Lutfa said, 'In any country of the world, people from all walks of life usually come forward as volunteers during humanitarian or natural disasters. This is a common occurrence. But for a long time we have not seen the kind of TSC that became a center of relief during the floods of 88 or 98.'

'Yesterday I went to TSC to donate. Then I saw a lot of people coming, truck after truck of stuff. These are very good signs. It is understood that the people of Bangladesh are trying to transform into a democratic country due to the terrible oppression and torture just a few days ago, the collective identity or what we call unity is in a very active state. At this time, people are able to communicate with people very easily because they had this communication created in the Hasina Hatao movement just a few days ago.

'After listening to many people, I feel that people are calling it work for the country if they are able to contribute to some extent to stand by the people or to build the country. Until now they could not do it, now they are doing it. The reason behind not being able to do it so far was that everything was under the control of a certain group of people. They did not let others in at all and their names were sealed in everything. That is no more. Anyone can now go to any social enterprise and give the money thinking that it will not become a relief fund of Chhatra League or Awami League or Prime Minister. It seems to me that more people are able to join this work because we are freed from fear,' he said.

Professor Tanjim Uddin Khan said the same thing. He said, 'For the last 16 years, I have seen that such work was limited to the government student body. But before that we used to see a collective participation of all in the time of any crisis. That's probably where we went back. This is the beauty of the University of Dhaka, at the moment of such a national crisis, to ensure its equal participation for everyone to get out of the crisis.'

Bangladesh /SBT