It goes without saying concerned citizens, general guardians and students were waiting eagerly to see implementation of High Court’s order by Dhaka University administration holding Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) election within April 10, 2018 in due respect to the Judiciary. Alas! Teachers in university administration elected by them in colour panel every time  could not listen to the voice of students and parents and the crying need of the nation to hold regular annual Hall Union and DUCSU election to produce future citizens and leaders of the country as they turn out as enlightened degree holders to take up responsibilities in different sectors of country passing due competitive examinations for entry to government services as well as private to render services to the people and shine in life.

The due date set by the High Court has passed that did not make them ashamed although news and views in the media by affected students and guardians were truthfully reported. We are to wait to see what would happen next, which will be observed by well-meaning quarters at home and abroad.  It is not something new expectation by us but deeply ingrained in our traditional culture, which is in vogue in our neighbouring democracies including Indian states around the porous borders with Bangladesh and Federal government in Delhi. There is no lack of cultural, educational and medical tours and bilateral economic exchanges continuously increasing between Dhaka and Delhi; but democratic practices and values unhindered in India notwithstanding partition 1947 do not flow crossing the porous borders to Bangladesh.

At what distances we are from democratic values that led to the free and fair election, victory of Bengalis win overwhelming majority on December 7, 1970 and emergence of sovereign Bangladesh in 1971 in erstwhile East Pakistan do not vex our academicians who however find pleasure in twisting history and indulge in partisan activities for pelf and power shamelessly that are vivid. An engineer from BUET who was in Communist Party became civil society leader on collapse of Soviet Union reported us in early last decade that teachers are ‘anti-student’ after visiting an incident of violence and  killing in his campus which was startling revelation to us, unheard of and imagined, but yet to be addressed by the policy makers of this country.

Still there are exceptions among university teachers who keep themselves aloof from such non-academic vent of mind and do not search escape routes for their own children to read in western developed countries for learning and living. They’re the last hope of gullible public who on receipt of wage earners remittances from abroad send their children at costly private universities whose quality and standard is controversial as well as try for violence ridden public universities fare well in comparison. Which produce educated degree holder unemployed at the end seen all around in large numbers and reported in media time to time but to no effect?

Going by the past records of teachers’ partisan politics which we are told by insiders  is the root cause of campus violence  keeping in abeyance DUCSU election for last 27 years, we were in a fix  if the teacher leaders in colours  who held/hold  positions in the political parties and government  derive benefits and their colleagues in Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) who are proud of regular annual DUTA election irrespective of regime in power since 1973 would play some ploy to pass the deadline set by the High Court or not. Mind country’s traditional teachers’ sense of affection and responsibility to students to hold this annual democratic feat needed for cultural development and emergence of leadership qualities along with studies for which parents send their children to the care of university teachers and defray increasing expenses. But alas as ill luck would have it they have opted for violation of High Court order.

DU administration has announced to hold DUCSU election next year within March 2019. In other words it mean after the national election year 2018 for next parliament passed by and partisan teachers remain safe to interpret it to remain in the good book to the next government, which is fully devoid of teacher like mentality and respect to rule of law. They’re now talking about preparations towards holding DUCSU election and various difficulties to overcome, for which students are not responsible but the Hall Provost and VC that are bypassed.  The work on preparing correct voters roll is going on, they say  will take time to do it properly and facilitate automation by ’interactive data base’. How come respective hall provosts have no up to date roll of resident and attached students in hand that is needed in day to day administration and discipline. They may recall how annual elections to hall unions and DUCSU held regularly at ease and gaiety before that led to independence in 1971 but now lost by reference to DU Emeritus Professors Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Anisuzzaman, Saduddin and so on.  Late Professor Muzaffar Ahmed consistently protested violence of all types in university over the decades, but his colleagues in university and friends in civil society did not respond that may be testified by his surviving contemporaries.

Report said it meant university senate would remain incomplete without student representative thru DUCSU election.  High Court order was passed last year on October 10 to complete senate within six months. The deadline was crossed on April 10, 2018. A university student undertook fasting to press this demand from April 1 before the residence of VC. He felt weak DU administration would not be able to give DUCSU election, conspire confusions and manipulations. So he wants Honourable President Chancellor who is above all to interfere into the matters of DUCSU. We respectfully recall the President in last convocation of Dhaka University had asked for students union elections to facilitate democratic pursuits and enlightened leaderships for the country, which if responded High Court order could have been easily implemented. May good sense prevail among teacher leaders to comply the call and order at the earliest?

The writer is an economist.

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