DUCSU polls: Students stage sit-in in front of VC’s office to call for fresh polls

The boycotters of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections are staging a sit-in protest in front of the Vice Chancellor’s office to demand a re-election after allegations of vote-rigging.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 March 2019, 11:09 AM
Updated : 18 March 2019, 11:09 AM

Although the five panels demanding the re-election announced the boycott of classes on Monday, there was little visible impact on the university campus.

Activists and followers of Shadharon Chhatra Odhikar Porishod (the platform for quota reform protesters), the Progotishil Chhatra Jote, Chhatra Federation, Sotontro Jote and Shadhikar Sotontro Jote conducted a protest rally in the afternoon from the base of the Raju Sculpture to the front of the Vice Chancellor’s office.

The collapsible gate of the office was closed after the students began the sit-in and started shouting slogans.

Panels that boycotted the DUCSU election over irregularities hold a demonstration in front of the Dhaka University Vice Chancellor's Office to demand fresh polls. Photo: Abdullah Al Momin

"All students must be united. We have staged a sit-in here in protest of the fraudulent Mar 11 election. The demonstrations will continue until our demands are met,” said Habiba Benzir, Chhatra Federation university wing president and DUCSU election GS candidate.

“Even after the massive rigging in the elections, we were able to win two posts because we received so many votes. If you consider the overall votes in the women’s halls, then I have won because the girls put up a proper resistance.”

There was massive vote rigging in the boy’s halls as they were under the control of Chhatra League, the protesters claimed.

“Through this it can be proven that the election is incomplete and questionable," said Shadharon Chhatra Odhikar Porishod GS candidate Rashed Khan.

“When we went to the VC, he told us to submit a written complaint. I had submitted a written complaint before the election. I have also submitted many written complaints after the election. But this shameless VC has not taken any steps. We have taken up positions here. This VC is bound to accept out demands,” said Arani Semonti Khan, Sotontro Jote candidate for the DUCSU VP post.

“This election was fully orchestrated.  Although we repeatedly asked for the media to be allowed entry to polling centres, it was not done. We were prohibited from entering the polling stations with mobile phones. Now they are asking for evidence of fraud and they have closed their doors before it could be collected,” said Shadhikar Sotontro Jote candidate for the GS post ARM Asifur Rahman.

Panels that boycotted the DUCSU election over irregularities hold a demonstration in front of the Dhaka University Vice Chancellor's Office to demand fresh polls. Photo: Abdullah Al Momin

Chatra Dal, Bam Jote, Shadharon Chhatra Odhikar Porishod and two panels of independent candidates alleged vote rigging in the polls, which were held on Mar 11 after nearly three decades.

They boycotted the elections before polls closed and have demanded a re-election.

The Awami League’s student wing Chhatra League won 23 posts out of 25 in the DUCSU polls, but two other posts, including that of VP, were won by the protesters of quota reform panel.

VP-elect Nurul Haque Nur is supporting a demand for a re-election by the boycotters even after going to Ganabhaban on Saturday and pledging to cooperate with Sheikh Hasina’s government.

On Sunday, he told a press conference at Madhu’s Canteen on the campus to reiterate that he would join the boycott of classes and exams and engage in the sit-in outside Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman’s residence on Monday.

Arani Semonti Khan, the VP candidate of Sotontro Jote, announced similar protest programmes on behalf of the four panels of candidates after Nur left Madhu’s Canteen.