Students’ union elections: Want to free Ducsu from political interference

Shameem Hossen, an independent candidate for the vice-president (VP) post, said he has entered the Ducsu election race to transform it into a platform for students, free from the control and interference of political parties.

In an interview with The Daily Star, Shameem, a master's student in the Department of English, said, "Since independence, what we have seen in the name of student politics is bloodshed. After 1990, Ducsu was sent to the museum, deliberately, to silence students' voices. This was because Ducsu always challenged the government."

He argued that political parties intend to regulate students' fate and keep the university bound within their political settlements. "The mass uprising has now given us the chance to raise these issues. Just as the state needs reform, Dhaka University also needs reform. I want to work to that end as an elected representative of students."

Reflecting on his own experience, Shameem said the reality of DU was far from the dream he once imagined. "In classrooms, students often struggle to stay awake. The library is rich, but finding the right books is difficult."

He said the administrative system is stuck in the past, despite global technological progress. "Even now, students pay fees manually at banks."

According to him, appointments of teachers and officials are based more on political loyalty than merit, while no government has ever addressed students' fundamental needs. "Accommodation, food quality, canteen conditions, and educational standards are routinely ignored," he said.

Shameem also highlighted the struggle of students who have a glorious past in leading democratic movements. "Many have to sleep on terraces, in gono rooms, or on rooftops, suffering from bedbugs. Yet no new halls are being built, nor is there any initiative to reclaim university land for students."

Pointing to the crises over accommodation, education, food, and safety, he said the root problem was a lack of accountability. "The administration is not accountable to students. Teachers have their syndicates, and officials have theirs. Reform is essential to ensure accountability. Even if all changes cannot be achieved in one year, we can set an example. We will bring the Ducsu elections into the university calendar, and will not allow any Senate meeting without elected student representatives."

Explaining why he chose to run independently, Shameem said every student has leadership potential. "I considered joining a panel, but realised I would not be able to fully carry out my ideas if I stayed within one."

If elected, he plans to establish a website and media cell where students can file complaints, alongside forming hall-based sub-committees to create an effective student network.

"Look at Oxford and Cambridge, students there contest elections based on quality. If students here believe in my capability and connect with my vision, I believe they will vote for me," he said.