Ducsu Polls: Centres to be inside dorms
Ignoring the demand from most student bodies, Dhaka University (DU) authorities yesterday affirmed that polling stations for the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election will be set up at the dormitories, and the election will be held as per the constitution, which was last amended by DU syndicate on January 29.
The university will announce election schedule within this week, although they earlier said it will be held on March 11.
DU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Samad, disclosed these to The Daily Star, after attending a meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Akhtaruzzaman.
The DU VC and some concerned teachers including chief returning officer M Mahfuzur Rahman discussed about the preparations for the coming Ducsu election at the meeting.
Earlier at a syndicate meeting on January 29, DU authorities decided to enhance the polls participation requirement up to MPhil students, aged below 30, who had entered the university through admission tests for four-year bachelor's degrees.
The authorities did not take any initiative to hold voting at outside the halls and didn't curtail the “excessive power” of the Ducsu president, a position held by the vice-chancellor under the union charter, students bodies alleged.
Under the existing charter, the VC can dissolve the elected body or sack any of its member arbitrarily. This cannot even be challenged in any court.
Later, Different left leaning student bodies and BNP backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal criticised the syndicate's decision. However, only ruling party's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) hailed the syndicate.
Since the last Ducsu was formally dissolved in 1998, several attempts had been made to arrange the election, but discontent among student leaders created bars to holding the polls. The last elections to Ducsu and hall unions were held in 1990.
Comments