Ducsu election likely by March

Elections to Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) would be held by March next year, said DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman yesterday.

The VC made the comment after a discussion on Ducsu polls with leaders of 12 student organisations, including Bangladesh Chhatra League, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and Biplabi Chhatra Moitri.

The student leaders demanded immediate polls to the Ducsu at the talks with the university authorities in Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom at the Registrar Building.

Except the Chhatra League, the pro-ruling Awami League student body, other student organisations raised the issue of coexistence of all student fronts on the campus. 

University Paribesh Parishad, a platform comprising of provosts of different halls, dean of different faculties and syndicate members, organised the talks.

The Ducsu polls have not been held in the last 27 years. The last elections to the Ducsu and hall unions were held in 1990.

Though all student organisations demanded immediate polls, they could not reach a consensus when the polls should be held.

“We have reached a consensus about the election, but we did not give any deadline. The polls should be held after taking every student fronts' opinions into consideration and within a logical time,” Chhatra League General Secretary Golam Rabbani told reporters after the discussion.

Speaking about coexistence of student organisations on the campus, he said, “We will not have any problem with that if the Chhatra Dal can ensure that they will not create any unrest on the campus or hurl petrol bombs."

JCD President Rajib Ahsan said they urged the authorities to allot seats at the halls on the basis of merit and create a suitable atmosphere for holding the polls.

Chhatra Union General Secretary Liton Nandi said during the discussion, they asked the authorities repeatedly about a specific date for holding the polls. But the authorities did not say anything in this regard.

“Many said that the Ducsu election could be held after the national elections as there might be political unrest centring the parliamentary polls. But the Ducsu election was held even during the anti-autocratic movement.

"We sought a specific date to hold the polls before December,” said Liton.

Samajtantrik Chhatra Front President Imran Habib Rummon demanded that the election be held by November.

Briefing reporters at his office after the discussion, the DU VC said, “Provost committee, disciplinary board and syndicate had already directed us to hold the election by March 2019. We have already started updating the voter list. We hope that we can complete the list within October.”

He said they would take further steps after considering the recommendations made by the student organisations.

About the demand for coexistence of activists of all student bodies, VC Akhtaruzzaman said hall provosts would take steps regarding the issue.

“The university administration does not obstruct any student organisations from holding its political programmes,” he said.

BCL President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon, General Secretary Golam Rabbani, its DU unit President Sonjit Chandra Das and General Secretary Saddam Hussain reached the meeting venue around 11:00am.

Chhatra Dal President Rajib and its DU unit General Secretary Bashar Siddique arrived a few minutes later.

Two assistant proctors and convener of BNP-backed White Panel Prof ABM Obaidul Islam were with them at that time.

Around 4:00pm, when the student leaders were coming out of the meeting room, hundreds of BCL leaders gathered there. But there were two JCD leaders.

DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani then tried to escort the JCD leaders there. They were surrounded by BCL activists.

BCL President Rezwanul and General Secretary Rabbani then managed to get the two JCD leaders out of there. A university car was waiting for them in front of VC office. 

Rabbani then hugged Rajib while they were about to depart.

At the discussion, which started at 11:30am, Pro VC (education) Prof Nasreen Ahmad, Pro VC (administration) Muhammad Samad, Treasurer Prof Kamal Uddin, Proctor Prof Golam Rabbani and provosts of different halls, among others, spoke.

On September 9, the DU authorities issued a letter, asking presidents and general secretaries of DU and central units of the student fronts to join the discussion.

The move came a day after a contempt of court petition was filed with the HC against the DU authorities for failure to comply with a directive over holding the polls.