Ducsu polls stay on schedule
Students from different dormitories took out processions after the High Court postponed the elections to Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) yesterday and returned to their halls within an hour and a half after the chamber judge stayed the order.
Candidates of different panels also protested the HC ruling and demanded that the polls be held on September 9
as scheduled.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Around 3:50pm, the HC bench of Justice Md Habibul Gani and Justice Sk Tahsin Ali, after a primary hearing of a writ petition, stayed the Ducsu election process and final voter list until October 30.
The court directed the writ petitioner, BM Fahmida Alam, Liberation War and democratic movements affairs secretary candidate from the left alliance "Aparajeyo 71, Odommyo 24" panel, to file a complaint with the DU's election tribunal regarding the political background of SM Farhad along with all relevant documents within 15 days.
In the petition, Fahmida alleged that Farhad was involved in the now banned Chhatra League and appealed to stay his candidature.
The HC also issued a rule questioning the legality of allowing Farhad, general secretary candidate from the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel, to contest the Ducsu polls.
It ordered the DU's election tribunal to dispose of the complaint and submit a report before the court by October 21.
Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua argued for the petitioner while lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir, assisted by Saddam Hossein, appeared for the DU during yesterday's hearing.
After the HC passed the order, Shishir Manir moved an appeal before the chamber judge of the Appellate Division.
Following the appeal, Justice Farah Mahbub stayed the HC order around 4:30pm. The chamber judge also asked the DU authorities to file a regular petition with this court against the HC order.
The judge said the stay order on the HC directive would continue till filing of the petition by DU authorities. With the SC chamber judge's ruling, there is no legal barrier to holding the Ducsu elections on September 9, said DU's lawyer.
Shibir-backed panel "Oikkoboddho Shikkharti Jote", after learning about the HC order postponing the polls, said the elections should be held on the announced date.
Later, they took out processions protesting against the HC decision.
By that time, students from different halls brought out processions and started gathering in front of the VC residence. They were chanting slogans like "Ducsu Amar Odhikar, Rukhe Dewar Shaddhyo Kar", "High Court na Ducsu, Ducsu, Ducsu", and "Guest Room na Ducsu, Ducsu, Ducsu".
VP candidate from Boishommo Birodhi Shikkharthi Sangsad panel Abdul Qader, general secretary candidate Abu Baker Mojumder, VP candidate from Chhatra Odhikar Parishad-backed "Ducsu for Change" panel Md Bin Yamin Mollah and independent VP candidate Shameem Hossen were seen there, among others.
Abdul Qader at a briefing said they had fears over the elections over the last couple of days.
"Those fears have materialised today... But the students have shown a red card to the conspirators," he said, adding if the students' rights are violated, the students will resist.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leaders and activists also took out a procession at that time from the Hakim Chattar area. The procession ended in front of Aparajeyo Bangla after marching in front of several dorms.
"We want to make it clear that Ducsu elections will be held on September 9," said its VP candidate Abidul Islam Khan. He urged the DU administration and election commission to act neutrally. He said the DU administration appointed Shishir Manir as its lawyer, who is a former Shibir leader.
"Swatantra Shikkharthi Oikya" panel was supposed to reveal its manifesto around 4:30pm, which was postponed after hearing the HC stay order.
Its VP candidate Umama Fatema said campuses have become unstable over the past few days. "After incidents at Chittagong University and Bangladesh Agricultural University, we saw an announcement to postpone the Ducsu elections. We believe this is part of conspiracies."
"It's an attempt to make the DU campus unstable. From this, we understand that a certain force is trying in various ways to destabilise campuses," she told a press conference at Madhur Canteen.
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