THE Islamic University campus in Kushtia was turned into a mini battlefield on Saturday due to a three-way clash between the student wings of the three political parties. They were not many in number, but the violence they wrought was enough to terrorise the others. I n the process several of these rogues, passing off as students, were injured.

The nature of the incident at Islamic University was not the first of its kind to have occurred there. And such clashes between student wings of major political parties have been taking place for a long time, having severely intensified over time. The types of lethal weapons used in Islamic University, and in other universities too, reconfirm our suspicion that the universities have become a den of weapons, most of which, we believe, are also illegal. The question is how come lethal and illegal weapons can be so easily stocked in the campus, and the university authorities are unable to do anything.

Unfortunately, partisan handling of such matters has led to the decline of the academic atmosphere in most of the universities and colleges in the country. These errant students are a disgrace to the students' community; but regrettably are backed by the politicians for political profits.

We would hope that the university authorities would rise above their partisan interests and ensure a peaceful academic atmosphere for the vast majority of the students who have nothing to do with such activities. Otherwise, they may soon become a disgrace to the teachers' community.