After almost 29 years of stagnation, the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election was held on March 11, 2019. However, as time passed, the DUCSU polls once again fell into an abyss of uncertainty. Now, the university administration has unveiled a plan to revive the DUCSU, with elections slated for late January or early February 2025.
This announcement has revitalised hopes among students, who believe that DUCSU, a platform historically free from political tailism, could usher in a new era of democratic student politics.
Azizul Hoque, a master's student at the Institute of Education and Research (IER), expressed optimism about the revival of DUCSU. He noted, "Since its establishment, Dhaka University and DUCSU have emerged as the torchbearers of the nation.
Through DUCSU, many leaders have risen to prominence in national politics."
Azizul emphasised the need for a fair DUCSU election to address the current problems plaguing student politics.
He said, "To resolve the current deplorable state of student politics, it is essential to hold the DUCSU election as soon as possible. Through a fair election, students will be able to choose their preferred student leader. This will prevent the ruling party from maintaining a monopoly over the halls, which will, in turn, significantly reduce political violence in the halls and on campus."
Azizul's perspective highlights the importance of ensuring that student leaders are chosen by the students themselves, rather than through top-down political control. His call for a fair election is echoed by many, who argue that the re-establishment of DUCSU could restore a sense of political autonomy for students.
SM Farhad, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir's DU branch, also sees the election as an opportunity to reverse the distortion of traditional student politics.
"The distorted scenario of the traditional student politics that students witnessed in the last 15 years of the fascist regime will be changed. This is the first benefit that I see if the DUCSU poll is held. Leaders will go to the students' doors, whereas we saw the opposite scenario during the Awami League regime," Farhad said.
According to him, the election would allow student organisations to align their agendas with students' actual needs and aspirations. "Those who are student-friendly will have the mandate of the students to be elected. Consequently, no organisation can play an aggressive role on the campus," he explained.
Farhad added that many organisations still harbour a mindset of using students to implement political agendas, disregarding their demands. He believes that holding the DUCSU election would change this approach.
"If DUCSU is held, such a mindset of student organizations would be changed," he said, advocating for immediate DUCSU polls.
He also expressed confidence that Shibir was already receiving positive responses from students regarding the election. "We will indulge ourselves to host programmes to enhance students' knowledge and skills and meet their expectations," he added.
Musaddiq Ali of Bangla Department said DUCSU must be an annual event.
He argued, "If DUCSU election is held, there will be no chance for a sole student party to establish monopoly at the residential halls and on the campus. Students will find a place of hope and faith by electing their representatives. They will be able to address any problem and its resolution easily and quickly through DUCSU."
However, Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahos, President of the DU chapter of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), raised concerns about the timing of the election.
"After the recent July-August mass uprising, the DU students and the population of the entire country seem to be traumatised. The long-term impact of fascism has almost destroyed the entire structure of the police force and the administration. Many DU students, who had fallen under the wrath of the terrorist Chhatra League, are now moving back into the halls," Ganesh said.
He said holding the DUCSU election either too hastily or too slowly, as this could disrupt the level playing field. "In such a situation, holding the DUCSU election urgently or too late could mean disrupting the level playing field," he said.
Instead, Ganesh proposed that the university administration publish a clear roadmap for the election, allowing students to recover from the trauma of recent political unrest. "The university should publish a roadmap as soon as possible, so that after overcoming these traumatic experiences, students can participate in the DUCSU election in a positive and festive atmosphere," he suggested.
Meanwhile, Ashraful Islam Nirjhor, Member Secretary of the Bangladesh Students' Party, supported the idea of reviving DUCSU elections as a means of re-establishing campus-based student politics.
"We run our organisation based on a six-point agenda. One of them is to establish campus-based student politics through student unions. This would allow students to freely engage in political activities on campus, preventing any single political party from dominating," Nirjhor said.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring the election is conducted fairly, calling for an independent, impartial commission to oversee the process.
"To keep the campus free from party influence, the student union election is essential," Nirjhor added.
