DU consumers being handed over to big capital under Jamaati agenda, says Meghmallar

The charity concert "Kuashar Gaan" (Songs of the Mist) was held yesterday, jointly organized by the Spirits of July and the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) to stand by winter-affected people. However, during the concert, a controversy erupted regarding a "Smoking Zone" and the free distribution of cigarettes by X Force, a shadow organization of a tobacco company listed as a sponsor.

In the wake of this, Meghmallar Basu, a council member of the new political platform "Network for People's Action" (NPA) and former Student Union leader, has spoken out on the issue.

In his remarks, he said that handing over the 40,000 consumers (students, staff and others) of Dhaka University to big capital is the “real agenda of the Jamaatis.”

He made these comments today, Sunday (January 18), through a status post on his personal Facebook account. For the readers of The Daily Campus, Meghmallar Basu's Facebook post is presented below:

"It would be very naive to view the setting up of the Abul Khair Group stall at the DUCSU concert merely as a contradiction or hypocrisy.

It is important to remember that the Proctorial team did not stop at collecting unfair extortion from the small vendors who sell cigarettes on the Dhaka University campus; in many cases, DUCSU leaders and assistant proctors have even seized and destroyed their goods. If all small vendors can be driven away tomorrow, I would not be surprised if, as a 'solution,' arrangements are made to push products by creating small smoking zones under the initiative of Abul Khair or British American Tobacco itself. A section of liberals without class consciousness might even applaud that.

Handing over the 40,000 consumers of Dhaka University to big capital is the real agenda of the Jamaatis. As long as chicken fry is available for 10-20 taka in front of Charukala, KFC will not be able to do business at Dhaka University. If fancy tea is available for 20-30 taka at Sakib's shop, a branch of Gloria Jean's will never open here. This is why it is so urgent to drive away various small vendors. The students of Dhaka University will buy lemon juice, eat chicken fry, and smoke. The question is—who will sell these?

In every country of the world, religious reactionism is a cover for siding with big capital. The 'crocodile essay' of leftists regarding capital and class in everything will surely seem cliché to you. But in this era of late capitalism, its relevance will not diminish by a single drop."