Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the interim government’s intention is to address the ongoing student protests through dialogue, eschewing the hardline approach adopted by the previous administration.
“Those protesting are my brothers; how can I be harsh towards them? We want a resolution through discussion rather than suppression," he said during a visit to Matian Haor in Tahirpur Upazila, Sunamganj on Tuesday (26 November).
Addressing the students' grievances, the Home adviser emphasised the need for dialogue to resolve issues within educational institutions.
“The problems of colleges must be addressed through discussion. That is why we have teachers. There is no need to take to the streets. Instead of blocking roads, they can raise their demands at Suhrawardy Udyan or send representatives to discuss the issues with us. Student representatives from different colleges can also confer among themselves. We are making every effort to resolve their concerns peacefully through dialogue. We do not want our student brothers to resort to violent street movements,” he added.
On the issue of agriculture in the Haor region, the adviser stated that ensuring farmers benefit directly from agricultural produce is a priority.
“We must ensure that no middlemen exploit the system to gain undue advantages,” he remarked.
Accompanying him on the visit was Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Water Resources. She underscored the government’s proactive measures to safeguard the Haor region’s agricultural protection embankments, ensuring that irregularities or delays in their construction do not jeopardise local livelihoods.
Before making these comments, the advisers visited various parts of Matian Haor in Tahirpur.
Other officials present during the visit included the Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Najmul Ahsan; District Commissioner Dr Mohammad Ilyas Mia; Superintendent of Police AFM Anwar Hossain Khan; Sunamganj Anti-Disparity Student Movement Convenor, Iman Dozza; and Poet Nazrul Government College Anti-Disparity Student Movement Convenor, Tanvir Islam Chowdhury.
