Prof. Landon E. Hancock from the School of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University, USA, paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka (DU), Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, at the latter’s office Thursday 17 April 2025.
Also, DU Proctor, Associate Prof. Saifuddin Ahmed, and Chairman of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dr. Sazzad Siddiqui were present during the meeting.
The meeting centered around potential academic collaboration between the two institutions, particularly regarding the student-led July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh. Discussions included joint research projects, academic exchange programs involving faculty, students, and researchers, and the co-publication of research works under the joint auspices of Dhaka University and Kent State University.
Prof. Hancock underscored the significance of connecting past and present student movements in understanding state-society dynamics and conflict resolution. He drew a striking parallel between the July 2024 student-led protests in Bangladesh and the tragic events at Kent State University in May 1970, where members of the U.S. National Guard opened fire on unarmed student protesters demonstrating against the Vietnam War. The killing of Kent State students became a turning point in U.S. public opinion, contributing to the eventual withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam.
Similarly, the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh, led by students demanding justice and accountability, faced deadly repression by state forces. The violence triggered widespread national unrest and is widely seen as a key factor behind the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian regime.
Both institutions recognized the profound importance of preserving the memory of such critical moments and committed to deepening scholarly inquiry into movements where youth activism altered the course of political history.
