‘We will resist all goons on DU campus’

An independent vice president candidate in the recently concluded elections to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) today vowed to resist “all goons” on the university campus.

“Vote robbers or goons, whoever they are, we will resist them all,” Arani Semanti Khan said.

She came up with the statement from a gathering in front of the DU Vice Chancellor’s office. Candidates of five panels today submitted memorandum to the VC demanding re-election to the Ducsu.

However, DU Vice Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman rejected their demand saying that “I can’t show disrespect to the time and efforts the DU teachers and staff spent to make Ducsu election a success. I have no right to show disrespect to their efforts.”

Since the elections, all panels except that of the ruling party-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League have been demanding re-election bringing allegations of widespread rigging and irregularities. The elections were marred in spree of boycotts by the different panels except that of BCL.

Addressing today’s agitation programme, Arani said, “On this day Raju (Moin Hossain Raju) was hit by bullets. Raju Memorial Sculpture has been installed for this reason as a symbol against terrorism. We will resist all goons here.”

She also warned of paralysing the university if the authorities do not announce the date for fresh elections within three days.

“I DON’T TAKE PHOTOS WITH GOONS”

Arani has become talk of the country since yesterday after she refused to be photographed with BCL President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon.

In a video that was making round in the social media showed that Shovon, who wanted to take a photograph with Arani at the DU Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) yesterday, was refused by the latter.

Right on the face of Shovon, Arani said, “No brother, this guy yesterday (Monday) ordered his men to manhandle us, I won’t take photograph with him. I don’t take photos with goons.”

Her blatant yet bold remarks garnered huge rounds of applause.