Today is the 37th death anniversary of martyred student leader Jamil Akhter Ratan

Today is the 37th death anniversary of martyred student leader Jamil Akhter Ratan. On this day in 1988, Jamil was hacked to death in broad daylight at Rajshahi Medical College in front of teachers and students. Armed cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir were blamed for the murder. Martyred Jamil was then the president of the college branch of Chhatra Maitree and was at the forefront of the anti-autocracy student movement in Rajshahi.

Following that incident, the Academic Council of Rajshahi Medical College stated in a press release, "At around 11 am on May 31, general students complained at an Academic Council meeting that under the shelter of Islami Chhatra Shibir, a group of outsiders with arms were positioned at the west-northern block of the main hostel. When the council members went to the spot, some students—who were identified as members of Shibir—obstructed them. They claimed that each of them had five guests and block inspection was prohibited.

Then when the teachers proceeded towards that area, suddenly, with the sound of whistles and the slogan 'Naraye Takbir', more than a hundred armed individuals came out and attacked the general students. Fifth-year student Jamil Akhter Ratan was critically injured in this and later died in the operation theater." The Academic Council further stated, "While leaving the hostel, the attackers again attacked the teachers and the motorcade, vandalized cars, and hurled bombs." There was a larger political context behind this brutal murder.

The then autocratic ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad held a parliamentary election in 1988 with a few small parties. To consolidate his position after the election and to derail the street movement, he used religion as a political weapon. In that elected parliament, he passed the eighth amendment to the constitution, through which Islam was declared the state religion. Against this decision, almost all political forces, including left-wing parties, the Awami League, and the BNP, took to the streets.

Student leader Jamil was one of the frontline figures of the movement in Rajshahi. The self-sacrifice of martyred Jamil Akhter Ratan reminds us of his extraordinary struggle—for the dream of a discrimination-free, science-based, and secular education and humane state system.