DUCSU, hall unions take charge amid protests

Newly elected members of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union and hall students’ unions on Saturday took charges amidst protests against irregularities and vote rigging in the March 11 polls which was boycotted by majority of the contestants. 
The first executive committee meeting of the central student union was held at DUCSU Building. The hall students’ unions met in meetings at their offices in respective halls of residence.
The university vice-chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman presided over the DUCSU meeting and respective hall provosts chaired hall students’ union meetings.
Bangladesh Chhatra League nominated Sammilita Shikkharthi Parishad panel swept the DUCSU polls securing all the posts of its 25-member executive committee except the vice-president and social services secretary.
In the first meeting, DUCSU office bearers except vice-president Nurul Haque Nur and social services secretary Akhter Hossain proposed to nominate prime minister Sheikh Hasina as a lifetime member of DUCSU. DUCSU’s international affairs secretary Shahrima Tanjima initiated tabled the proposal which was echoed by other members backed by Chhatra League.
The vice-chancellor, who is also the president of the student union, told newsmen that it would be finalised in the next meeting. 
Akhtaruzzaman found the proposal an extraordinary. ‘Proposal of awarding the prime minister with life-time membership of DUCSU has been placed at Saturday’s meeting and majority of leaders agreed in this regard,’ he said. 
Vice-president Nurul said that it would not be a good decision to make Sheikh Hasina a life-time member as allegations of vote rigging and stuffing marred the DUCSU elections.
Chhatra League-backed DUCSU general secretary Golam Rabbani said, ‘earlier Bangabhandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was given life time membership and I hope this proposal would be passed democratically and would officially be finalised in the next meeting’.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union office bearers place wreath at the portrait of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi. — New Age photo

Vice-president Nurul also spoke for proper accommodation facilities for students by scrapping the practice of ‘gana room’, crammed with students several time higher the capacity, and the practice of ‘guest room’ where freshers are forced to join activities of ruling parties, which becomes a ‘torture cell.’ 
He also spoke against irregularities in hall seat allotment to students, demanded setting rickshaw fare on the campus, restricting movement of heavy vehicles on the campus.
After the first meeting, all DUCSU and hall students’ union office bearers along with the university vice-chancellor placed wreaths to the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban in Dhanmondi.

Activists of Jatiyatabdi Chhatra Dal brings out a procession at Dhaka University wearing black badge for fresh schedule for DUCSU polls. — New Age photo

Among the elected office bearers of hall students’ union, Pragatishil Chhatra Oikya-backed Lamea Tanjin Tanha, who is elected as a member of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall union, and Farjana Akhter Meem, elected as member of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall union did not take their charges.
Tanha said that she did not take the charge as the election was marred with anomalies.
Meanwhile, several activists of left-leaning organisation Chhatra Federation formed a human chain in front of the DUCSU Building to press for its demand of re-election to DUCSU. 
Several hundred activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, also paraded the campus covering their face with black clothes demanding fresh schedule of DUCSU polls scrapping the results of the March 11 elections.
The Pragatishil Chhatra Oikya at a gathering also showed red card to the university authorities 
rejecting the DUCSU polls and demanding fresh schedule.

 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net