Ten student organisations have submitted names of their contestants, along with a list of executive committee members, to the university's election committee for participating on the coming Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU) polls. But they have expressed concern about their security on the campus and pleaded for coexistence.
The 10 organisations are the Socialist Student Front (Marx), Socialist Student Front (Lenin), Bangladesh Student Confederation, Revolutionary Student Confederation, Bangladesh Student Federation, Bangladesh Student Union, Islami Regime Student Movement, Bangabandhu Projonmo League and the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). Besides, they demanded that contradictory articles of the RUCSU constitution be amended to ensure a free and fair election.
Several student organisations submitted memorandums and met the RUCSU poll chief. They demanded that all student organisations be allowed to coexist peacefully before the election. The wanted the age limit for candidates to be raised to 30 and the final list of voters to be announced.
They alleged that Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists are dominating the campus, especially dormitories where, opposition student leaders alleged, they were not being allowed to stay. They also raised questions about credibility of the polls if their leaders are not accommodated in the residential halls and allowed to move about freely on the campus Different student organisations demanded that the RU authorities take steps to ensure peaceful coexistence of leaders and activists to make the RUCSU election a participatory one.
Only BCL leaders and activists expressed satisfaction, saying the election environment was good and there is no need for additional measures unless the JCD and Shibir conspire against them. On January 22, after a committee meeting, election committee chief, university Proctor Prof Dr Lutfur Rahman, instructed student organisations to submit student info between January 23 and 29.
However, announcement of the RUCSU constitution without having resolved various issues, including finalisation of the voter list and amendment of the charter, raised questions about the authorities’ sincerity to hold a free and participatory election, alleged leaders of different student organisations.
Kamru Hasan, general secretary of the RU unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) expressed disappointment. He said: “The first condition for a participatory election is coexistence of leaders and supporters of all parties on the campus. Opposition activists can’t even attend classes and appear for exams, let alone staying at residential halls of the campus.”
Shamusuddin Sanin, join general secretary, said: “JCD men have not been able to carry out organisational activities on the campus since 2008, when they were forced out of the campus by the Awami League’s student body. If the university authorities declare the poll schedule without solving the problems, it will be just a drama."
On the other hand, the RUCSU poll chief said the election schedule will be announced after it is decided through dialogue with active student organisations. The political environment is better than it was previously, he claimed Mohabbot Hossain Milon, convenor of the Progressive Student Alliance, a body of left leaning student organisations, said: “The RU is an autonomous institution and there is no mandatory relation with the Election Commission and political parties. The RUCSU is an internal matter of the university. This is why we are demanding amendment of the RUCSU constitution.”
President of the RU unit of the BCL, Golam Kibria, said: “We welcome the decision and hope that they fix an age limit like the DUCSU and find out an acceptable way for the candidates. But it would have been better had the authorities resolved the issues before announcing the date. We’re still not clear as to who can contest the polls or who will be allowed to vote.”
In a reply of question, he said: "We don’t create any pressure on student organisations on the campus and we welcome them to reside in dormitories, provided they don’t conspire against us. There is no proof that student bodies are being coerced on the campus.” Election dialogue committee chief, Prof Dr Luthfor Rahman, said: “We are preparing the complete schedule for the polls which would be announced within a short time.