DUCSU tenure ends amid controversies, museum photographs dispute

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) completed its one-year tenure amid growing political controversy on campus, with disputes over photographs in its museum, allegations of student abuse, administrative investigations and uncertainty over the next election.

Three left-leaning student organisations �" Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Socialist Students’ Front and Bangladesh Chhatra League-BCL �" staged a protest march on campus on Monday evening, demanding the removal of photographs of Muhammad Ali Jinnah from the DUCSU museum and restoration of photographs depicting what they described as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s glorious period.

At least 25 activists took part in the procession, chanting slogans against Jinnah, Pakistan and alleged collaborators of the 1971 Liberation War.

The controversy followed the installation of a 1948 photograph showing Jinnah delivering a speech at the then Racecourse Maidan in which he advocated Urdu as Pakistan’s sole state language.

Earlier on Monday, former DU student Abu Toyeb Habilder vandalised photographs of Jinnah in the museum, breaking frames and tearing photographs. He also damaged an image related to the 1940 Lahore Resolution showing Jinnah alongside A K Fazlul Huq. 

Toyeb, a former Urdu Department student from the 2001-02 academic session and a vice-president candidate in the DUCSU election who received 10 votes, defended his action, saying Jinnah's opposition to Bangla as a state language made his photograph inappropriate for the museum.

DUCSU General Secretary SM Farhad said Jinnah's photograph had been displayed with an English caption explaining his position on language and presenting it as part of the historical background to the Language Movement.

DUCSU Liberation War and Democratic Movement Secretary Fatima Tasnim Zuma said the first image was a 1970 newspaper clipping, while the second showed Jinnah with A K Fazlul Huq during the 1940 Lahore Resolution. The third depicted Jinnah's 1948 declaration supporting Urdu as Pakistan's sole state language, with a caption explaining his position and its link to the Language Movement.

Amid the controversy, Dhaka University authorities formed three 16-member investigation committees to examine the launch of the DUCSU website "DU Evaluation", installation of a "Nirbhik July" memorial without university permission, and the display of photographs of Jinnah and student leader Abdul Malek in the DUCSU museum.

The committees, formed under Section 12(3) of the Dhaka University Order, 1973, were asked to submit reports with recommendations within seven working days.

The controversies emerged as DUCSU and hall unions held their closing representative conference at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building on Monday, reviewing their achievements and limitations over the past year.