Shibir-backed panel vows decent food, safe campus

The Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed Oikkoboddho Shikkharthi Jote panel unveiled its manifesto, with 36 pledges to reform Dhaka University, at a press briefing in front of the Ducsu Bhaban yesterday.

The panel said it aims to create a safe campus; solve the accommodation crisis; ensure security for women, better health facilities, healthy food and modern transport; and provide sufficient information and services on career development.

Speaking on behalf of the panel, Md Mohiuddin Khan, candidate for the assistant general secretary post, said they will work to abolish authoritarian politics; repression and violence; the "guestroom–gon room culture"; discriminatory policies and behaviours; drugs, mugging and extortion; the culture of instructing students to "Come after Lunch" for dialogue -- often imposed by university officials; as well as cyberbullying.

The panel also pledged to free the campus from the collaborators of "fascists", and work to prevent the regeneration of such structures, systems, and cultures within the university.

It promised to incorporate Ducsu polls in the academic calendar to ensure regularity.

The manifesto pledged to ensure legal seats for every student from the first year. Till then, the panel will work for temporary accommodation in hostels, or a monthly allowance. It also pledged to reduce the number of male staffers in female dormitories and recruit female members for the proctorial team.

Under the manifesto, non-resident female students will be allowed to enter their allotted dormitories using their ID cards, while hall regulations will be relaxed.

The panel further vowed to establish a paperless system in the registrar's office to eliminate bureaucratic red tape.

It promised to organise research-related workshops and an inter-university research fest, along with soft skills training, career workshops, and job fairs.

The manifesto includes plans to provide appropriate prayer spaces for female students, especially around Curzon Hall, and to develop the central mosque and hall mosques as well as temples and prayer houses of other religions.

For students with physical disabilities, the panel pledged to introduce an "Adommo Medhabi Shikkharthi Britti" (Indomitable Meritorious Student Scholarship) stipend.

The panel's vice president candidate Md Abu Shadik Kayem said, "We've already prepared a one-year work-plan, under which we'll bring reforms through monthly activities."

General secretary candidate SM Farhad said they split the academic year into quarters to bring three reforms per month.

"We can implement 36 reform proposals in a year if we follow this plan. Through these reforms, a massive transformation will take place on campus."