DUCSU Election to See Competition Among Five Panels

Candidates from various student organizations and independent panels have submitted nomination papers for the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and Hall Parliament elections, creating an election buzz on campus. However, campaign activities have not yet officially begun. The final candidate list will be published on August 26 at 4:00 pm, with nominations withdrawable until August 25. Campaigning is permitted until 24 hours before the election day on September 9.

On Wednesday, the last day for submitting nomination papers, candidates crowded the third floor of the university’s Senate Building, where the office of the Chief Returning Officer for the DUCSU election is located. Both panel-based and independent candidates submitted their nominations.

In a briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Chief Returning Officer Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin announced that 509 nomination papers were submitted for the 28 posts in DUCSU’s central committee, although 658 forms were collected, leaving 149 unsubmitted. He noted that while many panels and independent candidates are participating, the primary competition for the top three DUCSU posts—Vice President (VP), General Secretary (GS), and Assistant General Secretary (AGS)—is likely to be among five panels: Chhatra Dal, Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament, Resistance Council, Independent Students’ Unity, and United Students’ Alliance. These panels have established voter bases and include prominent figures from past movements. A university press release stated that for the 234 posts in the 18 Hall Parliaments, 1,427 nomination forms were sold, with 1,109 submitted and 318 unsubmitted. On Wednesday, panels were announced by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament (backed by Democratic Students’ Parliament), and Aparajeyo 71-Adommo 24 (a joint panel of three left-leaning organizations). Earlier, panels were declared by Resistance Council (a joint panel of seven left-leaning student organizations), United Students’ Alliance (Islami Chhatra Shibir), DU First (an independent panel led by Mahin Sarkar), DUCSU for Change, Vote for Change (Chhatra Adhikar Parishad), Chhatra Federation, Islami Chhatra Andolan, and United Students’ Unity (an independent panel). Among independent candidates, Julius Caesar Talukder, a former Chhatra League (now banned) leader running for VP, has sparked discussions. Despite demands from various groups to withdraw his candidacy, the university administration has upheld it. Additionally, Sanjida Ahmed Tanvi, an independent candidate for the Research and Publication Secretary post, has garnered support from Chhatra Dal, Democratic Students’ Parliament, three left-leaning organizations, Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, and Islami Chhatra Andolan, who did not nominate candidates for this post. Sanjida, injured during the July uprising, became iconic due to her bloodied image. Prothom Alo spoke with leaders and students across the campus, who indicated that the main contest for the top three DUCSU posts would likely be among the five major panels. Students expressed a desire to avoid the “guest room” culture of the Awami League era and want leaders who address their issues. Independent candidates and those with clean images from political panels are favored. **Candidates from the Five Panels** - **Chhatra Dal**: Announced their panel at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla, submitting nominations at the Senate Building. Their VP candidate is Md. Abidul Islam Khan, Joint General Secretary of their DU branch. Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim, convener of the Kabi Jasimuddin Hall unit, is the GS candidate, and Tanvir Al Hadi Mayed, convener of the Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit, is the AGS candidate. - **Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament (Democratic Students’ Parliament)**: Submitted nominations and announced their panel in a press conference. VP candidate Abdul Quader and GS candidate Md. Abu Baker Mazumder were key coordinators during the July uprising. Quader is the convener of the DU branch, and Baker is the central convener. Ashrefa Khatun, the central spokesperson, is their AGS candidate. - **Independent Students’ Unity**: Submitted nominations, with Umama Fatema, a former spokesperson of the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement, running for VP. GS candidates include Khan Mahmudul Hasan, Al Sadi Bhuiyan, and Mahiuddin Muzahid Mahi, the latter two being leaders of the DU Journalists’ Association. Zahed Ahmed is their AGS candidate. The panel was yet to be formally announced as of Wednesday but may be declared on Thursday. - **Resistance Council (Seven Left-Leaning Organizations)**: VP candidate Sheikh Tasnim Afroz was elected VP of Shamsunnahar Hall in 2019 as an independent. GS candidate Meghmallar Basu, president of the DU Chhatra Union, is known for her oratory skills. Jabir Ahmed Jubel, central general secretary of Biplabi Chhatra Maitri, is the AGS candidate, having faced repression during Awami League’s rule. - **United Students’ Alliance (Chhatra Shibir)**: VP candidate Md. Abu Sadiq Kayem is the central publication secretary. GS candidate S M Farhad is the president of Shibir’s DU branch, and AGS candidate Mahiuddin Khan is the branch secretary. **Election Buzz on Campus** DUCSU elections dominate discussions in residential halls, academic buildings, and campus hangouts, with candidates’ personal image, experience, and roles in the July uprising being analyzed. Students reject the return of “guest room” culture and seek leadership that addresses their concerns, favoring independents and candidates with clean records. **Inclusivity in Panels** Panels have aimed for inclusivity by including women and minority students. Chhatra Shibir’s panel includes a minority student, Sarba Mitra Chakma, and four female candidates, along with visually impaired candidate Raihanul Islam and Khan Jasim, who lost an eye in the July uprising. Chhatra Dal’s panel includes minority student Nityananda Pal, female candidates Chemon Faria Islam and Meherunnesa Keya, and visually impaired student Ibnu Ahmed. Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament has five female candidates, while Resistance Council fields 11 female candidates and three from minority communities. **Allegations of Code of Conduct Violations** On Wednesday, some candidates violated the election code by arriving at the Chief Returning Officer’s office with large groups or in procession-like formations. The code prohibits rallies and limits candidates to five supporters during nomination processes. Abu Baker Mazumder, GS candidate of Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament, accused Chhatra Dal’s GS candidate Sheikh Tanvir Bari of breaching the code with excessive supporters, alleging administrative bias for not acting. Professor Jasim Uddin responded that violations reported so far have been addressed with warnings, and candidates have complied. **Multiple Candidates for the Same Post** The Anti-Discrimination Students’ Parliament nominated Ashrefa Khatun for AGS, but Tahmid Al Muddassir Chowdhury, a key organizer of the Democratic Students’ Parliament, also submitted a nomination for the same post, as did other leaders from the group. Some resigned due to internal conflicts over nominations. Hasibul Islam was nominated for the Liberation War and Democratic Movement Secretary post, but Abu Saeed, joint member secretary of the DU branch, is also contesting. Muktsen Moktar and Azizul Haque, who resigned from the Democratic Students’ Parliament, are running independently for VP posts in Shahid Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall and Masterda Surja Sen Hall, respectively.