All but BCL boycott DUCSU polls, call strike for Tuesday

All the student organisations at Dhaka University, except Bangladesh Chhatra League, announce boycott of Dhaka University Central Students' Union elections midway terming it a farce.

The Pragatishil Chhatra Oikya, the General Student Rights' Council and Swadhikar Swatantra Parishad candidates in a joint press briefing at around 1:00pm at Madhu’s Canteen declared this on Monday.

They also demanded immediate re-election and announce student strike at the university on Tuesday.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal also announced boycotting the election at a separate press conference adn brought out aprocession on the campus.  

Meanwhile, vice-president candidate General Student Rights' Council Nurul Huq Nur was beaten up allegedly by BCL activists at Rokeya Hall at noon. Nur was taken to hospital.

Witenesses also said of an attempted attack on the leftist panel leader Liton Nandi in front of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall.

Dhaka University vice-chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman visited Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall and extended voting time till 5:10pm.

He told journalists that the university authorities could not avoid the responsibility of vote rigging.

He also assured that the persons responsible for vote rigging would be punished.

The voting in the much-awaited elections to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union and hall students’ unions began on Monday morning after a gap of 28 years.

The voting started at around 8:00am simultaneously at 18 halls of residence.

Balloting at the Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall was postponed in the morning as the students of the female hall alleged of ballot box stuffing.

They had also found some stuffed ballot boxes inside the hall.

Following their protests, DU pro-vice-chancellor (administration) Muhammad Samad visited the hall and announced the suspension.

 

 

The hall provost Shabnam Jahan was suspended and Mahbuba Nasreen was appointed as the new provost.

Chief returning officer Mahfujur Rahman announced this while assistant pro-VC Abdus Samad and Abdur Rahim were also present there.

According to the university authorities, the voting resumed at around 11:10am and it will continue until 5:10pm.

Voters, especially non-residential students, of Bijay Ekattar, Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman halls alleged that they had been waiting into queue from 10:30am but could not cast their votes.

BCL activists captured the polling booths of those centres along with first year residential students, they added.

Students in long queues were waiting outside polling centres from around 7:00am.

Some voters have alleged of irregularities at some centres.

In the DUCSU polls, 21 candidates are vying for the position of vice-president, 14 for general secretary and 13 for assistant general secretary.

Candidates in DUCSU polls also included 11 for liberation war affairs secretary, 9 for science and technology secretary, 9 common room and cafeteria secretary, 13 for international affairs secretary, eight for literature secretary, 12 for cultural secretary, 11 for sports secretary, 10 for student transport secretary, 15 for social welfare secretary and 88 for the positions of member.

Panels namely Rezwanul-Rabbani-Saddam from (Chhatra League), Mustafizur-Anisur-Sohel (Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal), Liton-Faysal-Sadek (Pragatishil), Nurul-Rashed-Faruk (Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar), Auroni-Shafi-Amit (Swatantra Jote), Shariar-Rashed-Anup (Chhatra Mukti), Rasel-Shiti-Rahmat (Chhatra Maitree), Nayeem-Shahriar-Fahim (Chhatra League-BCL), Rakibul-Shaili-Jahurul (Chhatra League-JSD), Rabbi-Mahmud-Shariat (Islami Shasantantra) are contesting the polls.

Besides, Swadhikar Swatantra Parishad candidate ARM Asifur Rahman and DU unit Bangladesh Chhatra Federation president Umme Habiba Benozir are running run for general secretary.

For 13 positions in students’ union at each hall, 27 at Salimullah Muslim Hall, 28 at Jagannath Hall, 17 at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, 28 at Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, 29 at Amar Ekushey Hall, 27 at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, 34 at Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall, 33 at Haji Mohammad Mohsin Hall, 30 at Rokeya Hall, 30 at Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall, 25 at Shamsunnahar Hall, 25 at Kabi Jasimuddin Hall, 22 at Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, 36 at Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall, 30 at Bijoy Ekattor Hall, 27 at Zahurul Haq Hall, 37 at Sir AF Rahman Hall and 26 at Surya Sen Hall are in the race.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police imposed a restriction on the movement of outsiders and vehicles on the campus for 24 hours from 6:00pm on Sunday ahead of the polls.

The last election to DUCSU was held on July 6, 1990.

DUCSU polls did not take place in the past 28 years because of indifference of the successive university administrations and governments.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net