Five months on, DUCSU poll promises remain on paper
Rifat Islam, DU
After a long gap of nearly three decades, the Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU) election was held this year. The organization which is dubbed as the second parliament of the county, has in the past contributed to establishing rights of students and leading from the front in the political arena.
More than five months have passed since the election. Candidates promised to fulfil their manifestos that contain demands of and welfare schemes for general students. At this stage, students want to know what has the elected student parliament done in the last six months. The Independent asked DUCSU representatives and general students about their contribution and progress on their manifestos.
It was a mixed reaction. Although many expressed their clear opinion that the elected student parliament has not yet given anything, some blamed lack of cooperation between the vice-president (VP) and general secretary (GS). Mamun Ahmed, a third year student of the political science department, said: Theyre failed to fulfil their promises.They are busy promoting themselves and mouthing fancy words. Problems like lack of residence or other facilities of the university still exist, but there is no activity to deliver on their promises.
The DUCSU election was held on March 11. The Awami Leagues student body, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, won 23 posts, including the GS post. On the other hand, the VP and Social Service Secretary posts were won by the panel of the Bangladesh General Student Rights Protection Council, a platform for quota reformers.
In the run-up to the elections, candidates of the BCL panel had made several promises, like solving the problem of residential seats, improving the quality of food, freeing the campus from drugs and terrorism, increasing allocation on research, introducting teacher evaluation system, cancelling deprecated evening courses and affiliation of seven colleges.
On the other hand, candidates from the quota reform movement had promised to dismiss outsiders and former students from halls to solve the seat crisis, improve food quality, allocate more funds for research, increase the number of university owned transport and include new routes, keep at least 2 per cent of the annual budget for transport, play an effective role in expelling students admitted by fraudulent means and many more.
Sumaiya Arefin, fourth year student of mass communication and journalism, said: They promised and begged for votes. But the DUCSU has not been able to provide any solution to the problems. Movements were organised to solve the long-standing problems of the affiliated seven colleges. Even last Wednesday, we demonstrated and brought out a procession demanding increasing of library facilities. This was another point of their manifesto. Its really disappointing when they dont even take any step, but increase our expectations.
DUCSU assistant general secretary (AGS), Saddam Hussain, thinks the present situation has arisen due to the residential crisis. Solving the problem will take 4-5 years. He said: The DU is experiencing its best political neutrality in three decades. Everyone is enjoying political rights in a democratic way.
Asif Talukder, cultural secretary of the DUCSU, said: There is a lot of dissatisfaction among students for not having the DUCSU for 28 years.
So, it is not possible to change everything just in one year. But with the continuation of the union, it will be possible to make Dhaka University a hundred per cent student-friendly institution.
The Independent tried several times to contact GS Golam Rabbani in his DUCSU office and over the phone, but failed. A secretary and some members of parliament said they dont find him in the office for days.
DUCSU vice-president (VP), Nurul Haque Nur, said: Its undeniable that the DUCSU has failed to do anything visible.
But that failure is not mine as Im a victim of the situation. The failure is more of the majority 23 representatives and unwillingness of the university administration.
