Nur still undecided on taking charge as Ducsu VP
Newly-elected vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Nurul Haque Nur is yet to clarify whether he would take charge of his post or not, at the first executive meeting of Ducsu on March 23.
Since the election, held on March 11, Nur -- who boycotted the polls -- has been changing his decision in this regard.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said he would decide on taking over as VP after discussing with other panel members and taking opinion of other agitating platforms demanding fresh polls.
“Wherever I remain, I would work for the welfare of students like in the past. I did not participate in movements against quota and question leak to get applauds, but to do something to establish students' rights” Nur said.
On March 16, Nur along with all elected Ducsu and hall union representatives met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban.
Nur sought the premier's all-out cooperation in proper functioning of Ducsu.
The next day, he along with five panels called a sit-in programme for March 18, demanding reelection to all posts of Ducsu and hall unions.
During the March 11 polls, Nur's panel Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad boycotted the election and demanded reelection, raising allegations of irregularities and rigging.
Nur was elected vice-president and one of his panel member Akhter Hossain won in social service secretary post.
The next day, the Ducsu VP-elect once again changed his stance, demanding reelection to all posts except VP and social services secretary posts.
But a few hours later, after holding discussion with other protesting student wings, Nur demanded reelection to all posts.
That same afternoon, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) president Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon, who was defeated in the VP post, congratulated Nur at TSC auditorium on campus, and Nur expressed solidarity with BCL to work together for ensuring rights of all students.
Hours later, he again said BCL men carried out several attacks on him, and that is still on his mind though they greeted him.
That night, some students of Ruqayyah Hall started a hunger strike in front of the hall gate on the campus demanding fresh polls to their hall union. On March 13, Nur went to meet the female protesters and to take their opinion whether he should take charge as VP.
The 28-year wait for Ducsu election ended in boycott by all major panels except BCL, amid allegations of irregularities. On March 18, authorities set March 23 for the first executive meeting of the newly-elected student representatives.
PROVOSTS DEMAND STEPS AGAINST ELECTION OBSERVERS
Provosts of the Dhaka University's 18 halls yesterday demanded that the university take necessary steps against teachers who allegedly observed Ducsu elections “illegally” and “spread confusing and false information”.
They placed the demand at a meeting of the DU provost committee at Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom of the university, said a DU press release.
“They [the teachers] tarnished the image of the university in the name of polls observation,” the press release added.
Talking to The Daily Star, DU VC Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman said the demand will be presented at other forums of the university, before making a final decision.
On March 9, a group of teachers sought permission from authorities to observe the election, but the chief returning officer did not allow any.
However, they visited different polling centres during election, and issued a statement that night, demanding cancellation of the election on account of irregularities.