Introduction: We know education is the backbone (মেরুদণ্ড) cf a nation. But most of the time our political leaders forget this truth. They favor their rough political game over education. Instead of pen, they favor guns for students Thus, today our educational institutions are oriented not to education and talent rather guns and gatherings. However, our students have a glorious history when they played leading part in making the nation free from foreign occupation, repression and in establishing the rights of the people. Then student organizations were oriented to students interests as well as the greater welfare of the nation. But with the passage of time, they became the front association of the political parties. Today our political leaders are playing double game with general public.

History of our students politics: Student organizations of our country have a long and glorious (উজ্জ্বল) history. The students played important role in anti-British movements, in movements against Pakistani repression, language movement, anti-Ayub movement '60, six point movement, people upsurge '69, after all during our Liberation War. At that time, the students politics was aimed at-

First, protesting repression, oppression (নির্যাতন), injustice etc.

Second, protecting interests of the students.

After liberation, our students were divided into two camps. First, the opportunist faction and second, the leftist faction.

After the brutal (হিংস্র) killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the character of the student politics has changed a lot. At the first phase of military rule, there was a direct link between student leaders and the leader of the state. Here the president was to directly patronize the students. Hence, there was a horizontal integration between political parties and students organizations instead of vertical one.

At the second phase of military rule, students politics became more opportunistic. During this period, at least two student leaders had been made ministers.

Gradually, with the advent of the movement against military government, the student organizations became the equal partners of political parties. Then the student organizations became the power house of national politics providing money-might and terrorist activities against government.

Thus, after the overthrow of Ershad government, the dependence of the political parties on their affiliated student organizations has been increased tremendously (ব্যাপকভাবে). The two rival parties, AL. and BNP, made their all efforts to patronize their student organizations and to use them against each other. Thus, during BNP rule in 1991-96, most of the universities were under the control of JCD. But with the dethronement of BNP in 1996, JCD was replaced by Chatra League (BCL). At present, Chatra League has taken the control of all educational institutions by outcasting their opponents. They are doing the same things as done by Chatra Dal.

Present trends in student politics: Compared to pre-liberation student politics, the nature and characteristics (বৈশিষ্ট্য) of our present day student organizations have been changed a lot.
First, at present, student politics is considered as an important basis of political power in national politics. Students are now powerful not only in their own organizations but in their parties also.

Second, now-a-days student politics is neither people oriented nor education oriented rather it is oriented toward personal interest and power. Their movements are not for the students but only to strengthen their position in the campus. They are not the students leaders rather power elites of our society.

Third, in the past, the students were to protest against oppression, repression (দমন) and injustice. They were to move for humanity against brutality. Unfortunately, such character of our student organizations have been changed. Today, most of the student-leaders are criminals, they are brutal killers. Most of the offences in our society are being committed, directly or indirectly, by so called students instead in nasty politics. The kind of our present day student Politics in mercenary, rent-seeking, violence and crime loving.

Fourth, another important trend of our students politics is confrontation between rival student organizations to take control of a specific region or Institution. For this, even they do not hesitate to kill their opponents. The most devilry to their activities is that they sometimes kill their own cadres only to create a troublesome situation in their respective institutions Fifth, all the terrorist groups of students are booked by politicians who use them to perpetuate (স্থায়ী করা) their position in and outside the party. Sometimes, the fractions in students organizations commensurate with those of political party they belong to. Sixth, the students at large matter little to the 'leaders' who capture halls, manipulate business bids, hoard benefits and climb the socio-economic ladder including even seats in parliament. So, various student fronts are just a reflection of the main political parties whose immediate goals have more to do with grabbing power and enjoying it while it lasts.

Controversy over banning the student politics: During AL rule (1996-2001), honourable president Justice Shahabuddin was to propose for banning students politics. Then Awami Leage government was to defend (রক্ষা করা) themselves by saying that they also agree with the president but it needs consensus and co-operation among patronizing parties. The former BNP government also declared (ঘোষণা করা) that the government would ban student politics, it is needed, to restore the academic environment of our educational institutions. Her such declaration has created a controversy over the issue. One group took their position against student politics while others, including AL were against banning it.

A. Arguments against students' taking part in politics: The arguments that are generally put against students' taking any interest in politics are as under:

1. Students are immature (অভিজ্ঞ) and it is likely that they will be easily misguided by clever agents of political parties. Even the present status of students politics in our country is enough to prove such claim.

2. Through active participation of students in politics, students are being derailed and today the educational institutions of our country have become the fighting grounds. Students are more familiar with guns than books. Thus, if we fail to make the education free from politics we would remain backward in this ever changing world.

3. Those who support the banning of student politics, they argue that student politics is the source of many socio-political crimes and disorders in the country. It has become a threat to the right development of our youth.

B. Arguments in favour of students taking part in politics: Those who support students politics, they advance the following arguments:

1. If the students are kept aloof (দূরে দূরে থাকা) from politics altogether, they will remain political babies, even when they are grown up. Then they will be more easily misled in later life on account of their ignorance and inexperience.

2. Historically our students played glorious role in national liberation, progress and development. They were the pioneers in making the nation free from autocracy (একনায়কতন্ত্র) in 1990. So, any attempt to keep students out of politics may have some reasons but in the long run it may cause great harm to the nation.

3. Sometimes, the reasons presented for banning the student politics are being questioned on the ground that

i. Why the efforts to ban the student politics would not be treated as an effort to conceal the failure of government in arresting and punishing the terrorists?

ii. Will the prohibition of students politics not influence the national politics?

iii. The prohibition of student politics means identification of student politics irresponsive and even making a non-political system.

iv. Will it contribute to root out the terrorism from society?

Comment: In spite of above discussion, particularly arguments in favour of and against students politics, we must not be forgotten that the principal duty of a student is to mind his lessons and not to take part in public affairs. He is to acquire knowledge to train up his mind and to prepare (তৈরি করা) himself for the duties of life. And also our political parties should ensure that they will not keep any link with student organization. Otherwise, all the efforts must result in only dubiousness (সন্দিগ্ধ) and discontent. And, no political party will use them as their puppet.