Khadijatul Kubra, the student of Jagannath University (JnU) whose over 14-month arbitrary detention under the previous Digital Security Act (DSA) drew international condemnation, has been appointed as a Joint Convener of the university’s chapter of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).
The appointment was formalized in a letter signed by JCD Central Office Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam on Sunday (November 16).
Arrest Context Under the Fascist Regime
Khadijatul Kubra’s past incarceration is widely cited as a stark example of the abuse of the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) by the former Awami League regime to suppress dissent and silence critical voices.
- The Charge: Khadijatul Kubra, then a 17-year-old student, was charged in two identical cases filed in October 2020 under the DSA for hosting a webinar titled “Humanity for Bangladesh” on social media. During the webinar, a Canada-based former Bangladeshi army official reportedly made comments perceived to be critical of the then-government.
- Arbitrary Detention: Police arrested Khadijatul Kubra in August 2022. Despite her youth at the time the cases were filed, and later reports of kidney ailments, her bail applications were repeatedly rejected by lower courts. The state aggressively opposed her bail plea, even appealing the High Court’s decision to grant her freedom. She ultimately spent over 14 months in prison before the Appellate Division upheld her bail in November 2023. International rights groups like Amnesty International repeatedly called for her immediate and unconditional release, condemning her detention as a “travesty and flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression.”
- The DSA Legacy: The DSA was criticized globally as a tool used by the previous government to target journalists, students, and opposition members for expressing opinions online. The current government has since repealed the DSA, but cases filed under the former law, like Khadijatul Kubra’s, have continued.
New Role and JnUCSU Election Focus
The letter from the JCD central command highlighted her commitment and organizational abilities: “Your organisational activeness and skill have been assessed, and you are being nominated as a Joint Convener of the Jagannath University unit of Chhatra Dal.”
The directive for the appointment was issued by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.
Khadijatul Kubra acknowledged the appointment, stating, “I have been nominated for the post of Joint Convener… I will continue to involve myself with the politics of Chhatra Dal not just for the JnUCSU election, but in the future as well. I will work with that pledge.”
The appointment is believed to be a strategic move ahead of the impending JnUCSU polls, where the Political Science student has already announced her intention to contest. Students widely speculate that the new post confirms her nomination as a top candidate, potentially for the General Secretary (GS) position, on the JCD panel.
