Demand for DUCSU polls gets louder:Daily Sun

  Despite a rallying cry for Dhaka University Central Students’ Union elections, DUCSU is stalled for more than 23 years with no polls, thus depriving students of exercising their rights to elect leaders for delivering the goods. Once DUSCU is made active, many students say, it would become instrumental in safeguarding their interests and organising many extra-curricular activities important for their overall career development. DUCSU went to polls for the last time on July 6, 1990. Sources said the authorities concerned on May 27, 1998, dissolved DUCSU executive committee for the 1990-91 term. And the rot began—no election has been held to date despite the authorities’ repeated promises to do so. It means five seats, reserved for students at the DU senate to press various demands, have remained vacant. Students pay Tk 60 as fee for DUCSU per year. Since 1990, DU has realised nearly Tk 10 crore to pay for holding elections to DUCSU and hall unions. Student leaders, politicians and educationists have also underpinned the need for holding DUCSU polls that make strong leadership to steer the nation. Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said consumerism, exhibitionism, commercialisation and criminalisation have gripped DU students for lack of healthy cultural and sporting interests. “DUCSU election will definitely have a positive impact on restoring accountability of student organisations to the general pupils and their democratic rights,” Selim, also a former DUCSU vice-president, told daily sun. Prof Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, chairman of University Grants Commission, observed that DUCSU is the hotbed of extra-curricular activities, but he holds a differing view. “It is not obligatory [for the authorities] to hold DUCSU election if there is any possibility of hampering academic activities on the campus following violence among student bodies centring the election.” Maruf Billah Tonmoy, president of DU unit Chhatra Union, said DUCSU used to hold week-long literary and cultural events, accord reception to freshers and bring out magazines and other publications with the participation of students, thus creating a vibrant cultural environment on the campus. Students are also deprived of raising their voice in the senate because of the absence of DUCSU leadership, he mentioned. Chhatra League general secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam blamed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal for not holding DUCSU polls that stagger over the years. “Most of the JCD leaders are not students. They are involved in business and living with their families. As they are unable to take part in the election, they do not help organise it,” he alleged. Nazmul emphasised that DUCSU election should be held to boost student politics and create quality leadership for the country’s greater good. Quite the contrary, Chhatra Dal secretary Habibur Rashid said long absence of DUCSU polls has helped the ruling party’s student wing, BCL, to control the campus and allocate hall seats instead of ensuring students’ welfare. BCL cadres attack the JCD activists who want to take allotment in halls or come to attend classes, he alleged. “Such heinous acts are not good signs for a student organisation,” Habib lamented. The JCD leader urged the authorities to organise DUCSU polls to establish rights of the students. About DUCSU election, Vice-chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said they are trying hard to hold DUCSU elections. But he pointed out some problems. “DUCSU election is not being held as many student leaders don’t attend the university regularly. We want elections to student unions at all universities, but the fact is that general students are not interested in elections because of the problem of leaders’ non-attendance at universities.”