Priviet Social Sciences Journal

Contemporary student politics in Bangladesh: Impacts, trends, and insights from the University of Rajshahi

by Md. Abdul Barik ORCID , Mst. Quamrun Nahar , Md. Yeasir Arafat ORCID
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): January 2026

Abstract

The increase in student politics helps students gain leadership power and become aware.  However, university campuses are being contaminated with violence, party interests, personal benefits, and more. Student politics has both negative and positive impacts on society. This study, which is based on primary data gathered from 100 respondents at the University of Rajshahi, aims to examine the role of student politics in Bangladesh from July 2024 to date, to know people’s opinion about student politics, to assess the impact of student politics on academic and governance activities, and to identify the positive and negative aspects of student politics. A purposive sampling method was used. The study shows two sides of the coin on students’ politics: On one side of the coin, it makes the student leader politically aware. However, it hampers the normal functioning of educational institutions, creating administrative problems, violence, and many more. The researchers have offered some practical recommendations for reform at the end of the study for student politics to uphold a positive role in democracy and institutions, and the significance of democratization, transparency, and accountability.

References

  1. Alam, G. M. (2003). The impact of students’ involvement in ‘party politics’ on higher education and national development in Bangladesh. The International University.
  2. Alam, G. M., & Rabby, T. G., Boon, T. L., Khan, I., & Hoque, K. E. (2011, August 4). National development and student politics in Bangladesh. African Journal of Business Management, 5(15), 6044–6057. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM11.813
  3. Alam, G. M., & Shahjamal, M. M. (2008). Student politics in Bangladesh: An impact on quality assurance in education and national development. Bangladesh Education Article. https://bdeduarticle.com/student-politics-in-bangladesh-an-impact-on-quality-assurance-in-education-and-national-development/
  4. Altbach, P. G. (1984). Student politics in the Third World. Higher Education, 13(6), 635–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00137017
  5. Arafat, M. Y. (2024a). Student politics, Bangladesh and solutions. International Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research, 8(9), 230–236. http://ijeais.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/9/IJAMR240932.pdf
  6. Arafat, M. Y. (2024b). Research ethics: Meaning and principles. International Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4887943
  7. Arafat, M. Y., & Fahmida. (2025a). History, agendas, and anomalies of Bangladesh politics. DIROSAT: Journal of Education, Social Sciences & Humanities, 3(2), 323–341. https://doi.org/10.58355/dirosat.v3i2.158
  8. Arafat, M. Y., & Fahmida. (2025b). Bridging education, knowledge, and skills: A theoretical framework. Journal of Learning and Educational Policy, 5(2), 32–44. https://journal.hmjournals.com/index.php/JLEP/article/view/5929
  9. Arafat, M. Y., Alam, M. M., Raz, N. H., Opee, M. F. S., Tabassum, N., & Fahmida. (2025). Exploring the determinants and barriers of national integrity in the context of Bangladesh. INTERDISIPLIN: Journal of Qualitative and Quantitative Research, 2(4), 291–310. https://doi.org/10.61166/interdisiplin.v2i4.121
  10. Arafat, M. Y., & Fahmida, F. (2024). Effective class management: A study to enhance education system. Semarak International Journal of Innovation in Learning and Education (SIJILE), 3(1), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.37934/sijile.3.1.4760a
  11. Benneworth, P. (Ed.). (2013). University engagement with socially excluded communities. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4875-0
  12. Chughtai, A., & Ali, M. (2024, August 7). How Bangladesh’s ‘Gen Z’ protests brought down PM Sheikh Hasina. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2024/8/7/how-bangladeshs-gen-z-protests-brought-down-pm-sheikh-hasina
  13. Emon, N. R. (2025, October 19). Shibir sweeps 87 seats of 4 univ unions, JCD barely wins two: Historic wins at CU, RU. The Daily Observer. https://www.observerbd.com/news/549665
  14. Ghosh, S. C. (2023). Conceptualizing student movements in Bangladesh post-2013: A qualitative and comparative case study of the Quota Reform Movement and the Road Safety Movement. Social Identities, 29(6), 534–554. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2024.2320093
  15. Giroux, H. A. (2009). Youth in a suspect society: Democracy or disposability? Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230100565
  16. Hossain, M., Alam, M. M., & Shahriar, S. (2014). Students’ perceptions study on ‘student politics’ in Bangladesh. International Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, 2(1), 1–6. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2942614
  17. Kuttig, J. (2019). Urban political machines and student politics in “middle” Bangladesh: Violent party labor in Rajshahi city. Critical Asian Studies, 51(3), 403–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/14672715.2019.1587712
  18. Mukherjee, J. (2024). Student politics and its impacts on political culture in Bangladesh: A study of recent trends. Khazanah Pendidikan Islam, 6(3), 201–207.
  19. Patwary, M. E. U. (2011). Recent trends of student politics in Bangladesh. Society & Change, 5(4), 67–78.
  20. Paul, R. (2024, October 24). Bangladesh bans student wing of ousted Sheikh Hasina’s party. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bangladesh-bans-student-wing-ousted-sheikh-hasinas-party-2024-10-24/
  21. Pranto, S. I., Faruq, M. H. A., Kasfia, M. T. T., Chhoa, M. F., & Samin, J. H. (2024). Government job's quota reform movement in Bangladesh: A violence against innocent students. F1000Research. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4915790
  22. Rhoads, R. A. (1998). Freedom’s web: Student activism in an age of cultural diversity. Johns Hopkins University Press.
  23. Suykens, B. (2018). ‘A hundred per cent good man cannot do politics’: Violent self-sacrifice, student authority, and party-state integration in Bangladesh. Modern Asian Studies, 52(3), 883–916. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26599613