Ducsu’s extended tenure ends; Nur wants extension

Dhaka University Central Students' Union's (Ducsu) incumbent committee's extended 90-day tenure ended yesterday. However, vice president Nurul Haque Nur has asked for further extension.

On the other hand, General Secretary Golam Rabbani and Assistant General Secretary Saddam Hossain said they would leave their posts.

AGS Saddam Hossain said it was "immoral and undemocratic" to hold office in violation of the constitution, our DU correspondent reports.

He said this in reference to Section-C of Article-6 of the Ducsu charter. As per the charter, after the end of the one-year tenure of Ducsu, it gets an automatic extension for another 90 days.

"The elected office bearers shall hold office for 365 days. In case the election is not held in time, the elected committee shall continue for a further period not exceeding 90 days or until holding of the election, whichever is earlier, after which the union shall stand dissolved automatically," accorcing to the university charter.

After the one-year tenure of the incumbent committee ended on March 22 this year, it was extended up to June 22 in line with the charter.

Defending his stance, VP Nur, who was elected from the quota reformists' platform, said, "We want the extension since we have many tasks left unfinished due to the indefinite closure of the campus following the coronavirus pandemic."

Nur also said that earlier on June 14 he had asked university VC and Ducsu President Prof Akhtaruzzaman about holding the polls, but the VC did not respond.

"We repeatedly asked the VC to take the steps necessary to hold the upcoming election, but he did not pay any heed. If the incumbent body is dissolved then Ducsu polls will be impossible," Nur added.

Meanwhile Golam Rabbani, incumbent Ducsu GS, who was expelled from Chhatra League's GS post during this tenure, said he would leave his post at Ducsu after 12:00 tonight. However, he agreed with Nur to an extent.

"Tk 90 lakh remains unused in the Ducsu fund right now. We also have some other duties which we were meant to be carried out in the last three months. I will leave my post tonight but will request the VC to extend the tenure for a time frame so that we can complete all our tasks," Rabbani told The Daily Star.

Contacted, Prof Akhtaruzzaman said all decisions will be taken as per university rules and the charter.