NOW, there is no bar to hold the DUCSU election. The Supreme Court yesterday vacated its earlier order that stayed a High Court order asking the Dhaka University authorities to take necessary steps within the next six months to hold DUCSU (DU Central Students’ Union) election. A four-member Bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing of leave-to-appeal petition against the HC order.
The Chamber Judge of Appellate Division earlier on October 1 stayed the HC order and sent the petition to the full Bench for hearing. On January 17 last, the HC asked the DU authorities to take necessary steps within the next six months to hold the election. Prior to that, a contempt of court notice was served on September 4 to the DU Vice-Chancellor and two others seeking their explanation as to why they did not take steps to hold the DUCSU election.
There are widespread allegations that DU authorities have been collecting fees from the existing about 37,000 students in the name of DUCSU and hall unions although there is no activity of these unions for the last 27 years. Last elections to the DUCSU and hall unions were held in 1990. The DU authorities have also separate budget allocations for DUSCU. The DUCSU office can spend the allocated money, if it remains functional.
DUCSU was formed in 1921 in a bid to promote common cultural activities within the university and encourage the students of different halls. But later, it became the centre of common people’s hope and aspiration for leading popular movements one after another, such as the Language Movement in 1952, Mass Uprising in ’69, the Liberation Movement in ’71, and the Anti-Autocracy Movement in ’91. It also has produced several promising student leaders who later emerged as national leaders.
What we see is that the autocratic governments fear DUCSU thinking that an electoral mandate in DUCSU may pose a political challenge to them. Actually, it was the main reason to keep the DUCSU inactive for a long time. We hope, the present government will extend its full support to hold a peaceful DUCSU election within shortest possible time.
