Hunger strike over DUCSU polls enters 2nd day

The hunger strike by six students has rolled into the second day, demanding re-election to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DUCSU.

They resumed the hunger strike at the altar of Raju Memorial Sculpture on Wednesday.

They have vowed to continue the protests unless their two-point demands are met by the authorities.

 “We want a reschedule for re-election. We will call off the strike once the legal action is taken against those who obstructed students from casting their votes and were involved in vote frauds,” said Al Mahmud Taha, one of the protesters.

The protesters also demanded the removal of all officials who were on duty to conduct the Mar 11 DUCSU polls. 

The DUCSU polls, the first in 29 years, were marred by allegations of massive irregularities.

All the panels, except Bangladesh Chhatra League, boycotted the elections before the end of voting and demanded fresh polls.

In the DUCSU polls, the BCL candidates won 23 out of 25 posts and candidates from quota reform protesters bagged two posts, including the vice-president or VP post.

First DUCSU VP Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of Communist Party of Bangladesh, expressed his solidarity with the protesters on Wednesday.

“As a former VP, I went to speak with them. I have expressed my solidarity with the protesters,” Selim told bdnews24.com. 

“To me, it is not an election at all. It is a black chapter in Dhaka University’s history.”

The leaders of five panels who boycotted the election also expressed their solidarities with the protesters. 

They will go for tougher programmes if their demands are not met in three days, said one of the protesters.