Bangladesh students channel revolutionary spirit into flood relief efforts

In the wake of severe flooding in Bangladesh, the student community, which led the people’s uprising that resulted in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, is channelling its revolutionary zeal into spearheading flood relief efforts for millions affected by the calamity.

“This isn’t just about relief; it’s about making a difference, just like we did during the Monsoon Revolution,” said Rafiq, a student at Dhaka University, as he and fellow students formed a human chain at the heart of the campus, passing sacks of rice and other supplies hand to hand to load onto trucks bound for flood-stricken regions of Bangladesh.

The student community across Bangladesh has risen to the occasion, demonstrating their ability to lead and mobilise resources in a time of national emergency.

The recent floods, which have claimed several lives and affected nearly 5 million people, have spurred a remarkable wave of student-led relief efforts, transforming their recent revolutionary fervour into a crucial force for recovery.

The torrential rains that triggered the floods have wreaked havoc across 11 districts, including Feni, Chittagong, and Sylhet, and the magnitude of the disaster has overwhelmed traditional relief mechanisms, elevating the role of students to that of primary responders.

In Dhaka, the capital, a surge of student activism has shifted from political protest to flood relief.

Sara Khan, a third-year political science student at Dhaka University, has been a central figure in these efforts.

“Our recent struggles for democracy have proven our ability to effect change,” Khan stated.

“Now, we are channelling that same drive into helping our fellow citizens during this crisis.”

On August 5, the student-led Monsoon Revolution under the banner of “Students Against Discrimination” succeeded in ousting Hasina’s 16-year regime, propelled by fervent demands for change and accountability.

The transition from revolutionary activism to humanitarian aid was swift.

Immediately after the floods struck, student volunteers from Dhaka, Chattogram, and nearby areas mobilized to Feni with life jackets, basic food, drinking water, trucks, and speedboats to rescue those stranded, driven by their recent activism and unified resolve despite the absence of formal organization.

Dhaka University (DU), the cradle of the anti-Awami League government movement that dislodged them, is overflowing with relief supplies as hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly to gather, sort, and package donations for dispatch to the flood-stricken areas.

“Till last night, the collection for flood relief was around 7 crores (BDT) and we have sent around 120 trucks of relief materials to the flood-affected areas. Here at Dhaka University, TSC building, we are working round the clock. Now we have a job at hand to save our countrymen from floods,” Rakib Masukh, a student activist who has been at the fund collection centre, said.

The students from medical colleges and nursing schools have also sprung into action, dispatching teams to flood-affected areas to provide medical help to the people.