DUCSU polls schedule announced

The Dhaka University authorities on Monday morning announced the full schedule for holding the DU Central Student Union elections after 28 years since 1990. 
The DU authorities, did not accept the common demand of student organizations to set up polling centres outside the dormitories as they are under the control of Chhatra League, the student front of ruling Awami League.
The full polls schedule was announced by professor of international business Mahfuzur Rahman as the chief returning officer at a news conference he called at the Nawab Nabab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban.
According to the schedule, the polling for electing 25 DUCSU representatives and 13 representatives from 19 dormitories will be held from 8 AM to 2PM on March 11 without any break.
The polling would take place inside the dorms, announced Mahfuz.
DU authorities also published a draft electoral roll with the pledge to publish the final list of eligible voters on February 20.
Students who took admission only through honours enrollment tests and are still below 30 are eligible to be voters in the DUCSU elections.
Nomination forms would be made available from February 19 to February 25 and February 26 would be the last date for dropping nomination papers, according to the schedule.
Withdrawal of candidacy would take place on March 2 and on March 3, DU authorities would publish the final list of candidates.
If any eligible voter’s name does not appear in the electoral roll, her or his name would be included in a supplementary list of voters to be published on March 5, says the schedule.
Immediately after the schedule was announced, Progressive Student Alliance and Anti-Imperialist Students Unity, both platforms of left student organizations jointly held a demonstration on the campus in protest against authorities unfair decision to set up polling stations inside the dormitories controlled by the ruling AL’s student front.
But AL’s student front Bangladesh Chhatra League being jubilant paraded across the campus in processions.
Chhatra Federation DU chapter president and Progressive Student Alliance leader Umme Habiba Benojir told New Age that they would launch a combined movement with support from democratic and progressive minded students to restore a congenial atmosphere on the campus for coexistence of all sheds of opinion and also to press the demand for setting up polling stations outside the residential halls.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union central committee secretary Liton Nandi said they would launch a movement with all progressive forces and simultaneously take the preparations to contest the DUCSU elections. 
Bangladesh Students Rights Protection Council convener Hasan Al Mamun protested against the decision to set up polling centres inside residential halls saying that the authorities deliberately took the decision to favour Chhatra League.
Bangladesh Students Rights Protection Council appeared on the campus in February 2018 and became a household name throughout the country with its movement that compelled the government to reform quotas in government jobs that for years disqualified meritorious students from getting government jobs.
Hasan said that BSRPC would hold demonstrations to press their demands.
Chhatra Dal DU chapter president Al Mehedi Talukder said they would again sit with university administration and if they remain adamant to their position, they would launch a movement.
Chhatra League’s DU Chapter general secretary Saddam Hossain thanked the DU authorities for its decision to open polling stations inside the residential halls.
Dhaka University vice chancellor Akhtaruzzaman said the election would be held according to the electoral code of conduct.
NO DUCSU elections were held in last 28 years violating Dhaka University Order 1973.
Dhaka University was established in 1921 and DUCSU was formed in 1924.
In 1990, when the last DUCSU election was held JatiyatabadiChhatra Dal’s AmanullahAman and Khairul KabirKhokan panel swept the polls.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net