Fundraising for a July uprising programme at Rajshahi University has come under heavy criticism after the move went viral on social media.
The fundraising drive and the Rajshahi University vice-chancellor鈥檚 support to the drive have raised questions among different quarters.
A letter seeking 鈥榮ubstantial financial support鈥� for the August 5 event titled 鈥�36 July: Festival of Freedom鈥� was sent to different organisations in the Rajshahi city.
Sent by Salauddin Ammar, a former coordinator of the RU unit of Students Against Discrimination, the letter included a 鈥榮trong鈥� recommendation from Rajshahi University vice-chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib.
The Students Against Discrimination spearheaded the 2024 mass uprising that ousted the authoritarian Awami League regime on August 5 past year.
Sultan Ahmed Rahi, who was made president of the RU unit Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on Tuesday, at a rally on Wednesday alleged that the current university administration had become an enabler for 鈥榮o-called鈥� student leaders to 鈥榚nrich their bank accounts by extracting money in the name of fundraising from banks and state-run institutions鈥�.
According to Salauddin, the funding appeal has so far been sent to 19 institutions, using both English and Bangla versions of the proposal.
The event aims to commemorate the 鈥�36 July Movement鈥�, which organisers claimed involved protests in Rajshahi where several youths were injured or killed while demanding democratic rights.
The organisers plan to honour the victims鈥� families and raise awareness among younger generations about their sacrifices.
Contacted, RU vice-chancellor Naqib stated that he usually supported initiatives by any university-affiliated group or student and viewed such endorsement as part of his official duties.
Salauddin labelled the criticism a 鈥榖rutal media trial鈥� on Facebook and assured that all funds would be transparently accounted for after the event.
He said that donations already pledged included Tk听2 lakh from a municipal body, Tk听30,000 from a trade body, and Tk听15,000 from a private commercial bank.
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