Activism

Professor Samina Luthfa Nitra calls herself an activist researcher. Her life in activism started back in 2000 when she was a masters’ student in Sociology at Dhaka University where some other students sexually assaulted women inside the campus in the middle of a celebration. Protest ensued and her journey in activism started. She never stepped back since then. Till today, she is always seen on the streets protesting sexual violence, labor exploitation, institutional injustice, physical torture by powerful student groups and so on. For example, in 2014, despite her declaration of her identity as an assistant professor from the University of Dhaka, she and her fellow activists got beaten by police and company hired goons while attending protest in solidarity with protesting workers of the Toba garment against low wages. She was named a human right defender by the Irish organization with the same name after this incident. She continued her struggle for democracy, human rights and social justice being actively involved in the Sundarbans movement (to stop the Rampal power plant), and movement against rape and sexual abuses of Tanu, Rupa and many unnamed women. Her research and activism blended with her study of female garment workers’ vulnerabilities and her activism after Rana Plaza collapse and Tazrin factory fire. She along with the University Teachers’ Network also participated in Quota Reform Movement and Road Safety Movement of 2018 on which she also wrote articles and opinion pieces. Her activism and her research have been synonymous for quite a while.

In addition, things she still could not say in her writings were brought before an audience with some creative zeal as performances, stage plays and street plays. “Ar noy chup thaka”, “Shundorbon kotha”, “Jotugrigha” are plays signifying her struggle against sexual violence, Rampal plant and Rana Plaza-Tazreen incidents through theatre. She not only wrote these but performed in each as well. Bottala is one of the very few theatre groups in Bangladesh which is open and safe for people irrespective of their gender, religious or social identities. Dr. Samina, as a founding member of the group has put every effort to ensure that Bottala becomes gender sensitive and environment aware. 

As a teacher and theatre activist she has always looked after her students and fellows during their dire times and difficulties. She, with the help of few other colleagues led the way to bring back one of her female Hindu students from India who was a victim of trafficking. She stood beside the Rana Paza victims too. Dr. Samina was one of the first responders for the student of Dhaka University who was raped back in 2020. She stood firmly with her throughout her treatment and her struggle for justice. Even students who are victims of bullying or other harassment always had a safe ear and kind heart whenever they sought her counsel. She has always put the safety and well-being of her students as the priority.    

During the July Uprising 2024, she and her colleagues from University Teachers’ Network have stood with the students when the university administrations and the government were applying brutal force on them and ended up killing hundreds. During the days of curfew and internet shutdowns, she along with a few colleagues made every attempt to reach the international human rights community to stop the violence and death toll. She confronted police to free her students from jail, to allow her colleagues to go inside the DU campus to protest and was on the streets protesting, breaking curfews, organizing human chains, issuing statements and participating in rallies, processions and long marches. She along with her colleagues of University Teachers’ Network (UTN) relentlessly acted and resisted against the oppression and violation of human rights by the last regime. They went to the DB office to look for the student coordinators who were kept there as hostages, as a result, GD was filed against her and a couple others to scare them and stop them. Till today, they continue to protest every human rights violation in the country even after the fall of the last regime.