‘We Don't Support’: Poster Boy Of 2024 Protests Faces Flak At Dhaka University Over Jamaat Tie-Up

Last Updated:January 26, 2026, 15:57 IST

Tensions escalated after Sadiq Qayem's public identification as the president of the Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing.

During a heated confrontation on campus, students directly challenged Qayem, questioning whether they had elected him as vice president to secretly promote Jamaat’s political campaign.

Dhaka University witnessed intense protests this week as students confronted Islami Chhatra Shibir and its parent party Jamaat-e-Islami, accusing them of covert political manoeuvring within campus politics. The flashpoint was Sadiq Qayem, once hailed as a prominent face of the 2024 mass uprising and a key student coordinator, who is now facing allegations of misleading students to advance an Islamist agenda.

Sadiq Qayem rose to prominence during the 2024 protests, where he was widely perceived as a neutral, reformist student leader representing broader campus interests. However, tensions escalated after his public identification as the president of the Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing. This revelation triggered sharp backlash, with students accusing him of winning votes under false pretences.

During a heated confrontation on campus, students directly challenged Qayem, questioning whether they had elected him as vice president to secretly promote Jamaat’s political campaign. Female students were particularly vocal, accusing Jamaat leaders of repeatedly insulting, disrespecting and verbally abusing women at the university. One student said they felt betrayed, arguing that Qayem was elected to represent all students impartially, not to serve a party with a controversial ideological and violent past.

Protesters alleged that Qayem exploited the momentum of the 2024 uprising to mask his political affiliations, only later revealing his links to Chhatra Shibir after securing an influential position. They accused him of using his role to indirectly bolster Jamaat’s broader political outreach at a time when Islamist-leaning groups are gaining ground in student elections.

“We elected you as our representative and VP but are you now secretly working for Jamaat agenda. Did we vote for you so you could support Jamaat’s campaign? Jamaat leaders have repeatedly insulted, disrespected and abused the women and female students of this university," a girl student said.

Bangladesh’s campus politics remain deeply sensitive due to Chhatra Shibir’s historical association with violence, underground networks and its alleged role during the 1971 Liberation War. Another girl student said Jamaat was spreading false information and fake facts about the Liberation War and “we don’t support this".

Intelligence sources note that memories of past violence and ideological coercion continue to shape student resistance to any perceived revival of Shibir’s influence.

The confrontation at Dhaka University highlights widening fractures in post-uprising student politics. Recent electoral gains by Islamist-aligned groups have heightened suspicion and led to open clashes on major campuses. Analysts warn that these trends could translate into national-level political shifts ahead of the 2026 general elections, with a potential Jamaat-led or Jamaat-influenced alliance emerging as a serious contender.

From a regional perspective, Indian strategic circles are closely watching developments, fearing that a stronger Islamist political presence in Bangladesh could push the country towards a more confrontational posture and fuel anti-India sentiment.

News world ‘We Didn’t Elect You For Jamaat’: Protests At Dhaka University Over 2024 Uprising Poster Boy

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