Discontent over Ducsu charter

Different student organisations have been pressing for solutions to some contentious issues, including the charter amendment, over the long-anticipated election to Dhaka University Central Students' Union.

Their core demands include curtailing the power of the Ducsu president, a position held by the DU vice-chancellor as per the union charter. 

Besides, some student leaders seek changes to candidacy requirements for the election, allowing participation of students from MPhil, PhD and evening courses.

Some others, however, demand continuation of the existing provision that permits only “regular students” to be candidates or voters.

Since Ducsu was formally dissolved in 1998, several attempts have been made to arrange the election, but discontents among student leaders created bars to holding the polls.

The last elections to Ducsu and hall unions took place in 1990.

Student leaders have welcomed the decision to finally hold the polls on March 11, but still there remain some issues that may stand in the way to inclusive polls.

Many student leaders alleged that without paying heed to their proposals, the DU committee on the Ducsu constitution amendment had submitted its recommendations with no fundamental changes to the charter.

Their proposals include striking a balance between the powers of union president, vice-president and general secretary.

As per section (5) of the charter, the DU vice-chancellor shall be the ex-officio president of the union and “shall interpret all these rules and his interpretation shall be final”.

He or she shall have the authority, in the best interest of the union, to dismiss any office bearer or member of the executive committee any time. The president will also have the authority to keep the committee suspended for any period as he thinks fit.

Section 8(M) says, “Any objection with regard to election may be filed with the president within three clear days of the publications of the results and the president's decision shall be final. No action will lie against this decision in any court of law.”

Terming the sections undemocratic, some left student organisations and BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) demanded curbing the sweeping power of the Ducsu president.

  Salman Siddique, DU unit coordinator of Progressive Student Alliance, said the power of the VC enshrined in the Ducsu charter conflicts with the constitution of the country.

“According to article 31 of Bangladesh constitution, any citizen has the right to the protection of the law. But as per the Ducsu constitution, no action will lie against the VC's decision in any court of law,” said Salman, also president of the university unit of Chhatra Front.

Rajib Das, general secretary of DU Chhatra Union, said, “We proposed limiting the VC's authority in Ducsu as it goes against democratic values. But the amendment committee did not submit any proposal in this regard.”

Mujahidul Islam Selim, the first elected vice-president of Ducsu after independence and now president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, too termed the provisions undemocratic.

"The authorities should reconsider the provisions and bring balance between the powers of president, vice president and general secretary in line with students' demand, if they want to hold a free and fair election," he told The Daily Star.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, another former Ducsu VP, also called for limiting the authority of the union president.

“Ducsu is a student union of elected representatives and the VC as the nominated president should not be given such powers. It's high time to curtail VC's power for the sake of a free and inclusive election,” said Manna, also the convener of Nagorik Oikya.

Al Mehedi Talukder, the DU unit president of JCD, said that with so much power, there is a possibility that the VC may hold a one-sided election as student bodies cannot challenge the decision of the Ducsu president.

A section of DU BCL leaders too want balance between the powers of the president and vice-president. They raised the issue at a meeting convened by the authorities on Ducsu charter changes.  

However, central BCL General Secretary Golam Rabbani thinks the student organisations should have confidence in the vice-chancellor as “there is no possibility of his misusing power and the history of Ducsu also proves this”.

He believes that there is no scope of manipulating the polls results in presence of the media and DU administration. 

Rabbani, however, said he is still confused whether the election will be held or not with so many disputes arising over the polls.

Interestingly, he himself has problem with the current candidacy criteria, an issue over which top BCL leaders are locked in disagreements right now.

“I think, PhD and MPhil students have the right to participate in the election since it is going to be held after a long gap,” said Rabbani, now an alumni who had got DU admission in 2007-08 session.

“The authorities can fix the age limit at 30 or 32 like in the job entry tests of the Public Service Commission,” he added. 

Chhatra Union and JCD also demanded the same.

But DU BCL General Secretary Saddam Hossain demanded participation of only “regular students”.

According to section 4 (a) of the Ducsu constitution, “All regular students of the university, resident in or attached to the halls, who have paid into the accounts office the annual subscription, shall be members of the University Students' Union.”

When asked about definition of “regular students”, Prof Mizanur Rahman, convener of the amendment committee, said the university currently offers four-year bachelor's and one-year master's degree.

Without becoming “irregular”, a student can complete graduation and post-graduation in eight academic years, bachelor's in six and post-graduation in two, he added. 

However, only five out of 24 top leaders of six major student bodies are regular students, sources of the respective organisations said.

As per the Ducsu charter, those pursuing bachelors in fine arts, MPhil and PhD are eligible to be voters but cannot run for polls. No former students can take part in polls in any way. 

Amidst these disputes, DU authorities are hopeful of holding a participatory Ducsu election. “We did not bring any fundamental amendment to the constitution this time but we are taking all preparations to hold a participatory election,” said Prof Mizanur.

SOME OTHER ISSUES

Leftist student bodies and JCD also demanded creating a level playing field and installing polling stations at the academic buildings of the university. 

JCD DU unit president Mehedi said that without a level playing field, his organisation will not take part in the election.

“If our activists are arrested and beaten up during campaigning and not allowed to stay in the dormitories, it will be difficult to participate in the election,” said Mehedi.

JCD General Secretary Akram Hossain said the university should set up polling centres outside the dormitories.

The activists of pro-ruling party student body control the dormitories and most of the students will not feel free to cast votes there, he added. 

DU Student Federation President Umme Habiba Benjir also demanded a level playing field to ensure a participatory election.