The newly reformed constitution of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) has been widely criticized and calls for amendments before the elections have become rife. With all these demands, DU unit of Shibir submitted a 9-point reform proposal to the administration of the university about addressing those main issues and making it inclusive.
On Monday (January 13), the proposals were announced at a press conference held at Madhur canteen. In a detailed statement from the General Secretary, DU Shibir, Mahiuddin, the proposals were designed to build for a more democratic and student-centred framework.
One of the first recommendations is the amendment to Section 2(a) of the DUCSU constitution which speaks on its 'Aims and Objectives'. The proposal from DU Shibir states that the DUCSU focuses on protecting the rights and interests of all students irrespective of religion or ethnic background, gender, political belief, or ideology. Further, the recommendations stress involving student bodies in all forms of policymaking at the university by giving voices and enabling active participation.
They include the revision of Section 3 ("Activities") to provide for organising events; adopting projects for improving the quality of student life and academics and establishing suitable roles for student representation on administrative and project boards. Modern tools such as digital outreach, surveys, and even random sampling encourage reflecting the voice of students in decision-making processes.
Similarly, the proposal calls for limiting the autocratic power of an unelected DUCSU president. It would strengthen the authority of the executive committee in order to ensure balanced governance. It also consisted of other points related to democratisation and transparent operation.
