The current term of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) 2025 will expire on September 12. The Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir has demanded the prompt publication of a clear roadmap for the next DUCSU election.
The organization also called for the announcement of an election schedule and for a free, fair, impartial and participatory election to be held within the stipulated timeframe.
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Leaders of Chhatra Shibir made the demands during a meeting with Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam on Wednesday (August 12). Later, Dhaka University unit Chhatra Shibir President Muhammad Muhiuddin and Organizing Secretary Sazzad Hossain Khan spoke to journalists.
Muhiuddin said the DUCSU election is a regular and institutional process. However, with the current term of DUCSU nearing its end, the university administration has yet to make any decision on when and how the next election will be held.
He said the university treasurer had informed them that no decision had yet been made regarding the next DUCSU election. As a result, the process of sending a letter to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the election and allocating the necessary budget had also not progressed.
He further alleged that there had been a tendency to suspend DUCSU elections under various political governments in the past. According to him, elections were kept suspended due to political concerns that DUCSU, as an important platform for students to express their views, could exert pressure on those in power.
Muhiuddin said the meeting also discussed the need for justice over the attack at Shahbagh Police Station and attacks on students, elected student representatives and journalists at various locations on the Dhaka University campus.
He alleged that despite sufficient video footage and other evidence of the incidents, the university administration was delaying the process in the name of investigations. He claimed that even after several months, no effective action had been taken over the attacks.
Muhiuddin said the university administration had informed them that the investigation report would be made public by Sunday or Monday. He warned that if the report was not published within the stipulated timeframe, they would take necessary strong measures to ensure its publication.
Meanwhile, Chhatra Shibir Organizing Secretary Sazzad Hossain accused the university administration of “delaying and making excuses” over the DUCSU election.
He said DUCSU is an important right of the university’s students and that this right had been obstructed at various times due to political influence from the ruling party.
He further alleged that while the administration takes swift decisions on various issues under pressure from the ruling political party, it has been reluctant to investigate or take action over attacks on elected student representatives and students.
They also demanded that the university administration provide the necessary support and ensure an appropriate institutional environment for elected DUCSU representatives to carry out their activities.
Regarding the next DUCSU election, Vice-Chancellor Professor Obaidul Islam said the administration would soon call the necessary meetings to follow the established process for holding the election.
“We have a process that we have to follow to hold the DUCSU election. I will soon call all the necessary meetings and proceed according to that process,” he said.
He added, “Even if they had not come, I had already thought about this. Two days ago, I myself planned to set a date for a meeting. Since I am busy this week, I will call the meeting next week and initiate the process.”