Dhaka, Sep 16 (Just News): Leaders of different student organisations, at a dialogue on Sunday, urged the Dhaka University authorities to hold election to Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) soon.
However, the leaders outside of the ruling camp called for ensuring peaceful co-existence of students belonging to all organisations at dormitories and allow them to do politics smoothly on the campus.
The leaders of the ruling party-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) denied the allegations that the opposition activists cannot stay in dormitories and insisted that peaceful coexistence is 'very much there'.
Such views came at the meeting of ‘the council to ensure educational atmosphere on the campus, known as Paribesh Parishad, convened by the DU authorities to discuss the issue of holding DUCSU elections in near future.
Leaders of student bodies including opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), joined the consultation meeting at vice chancellor's office that lasted four hours.
“We all agreed on the point of holding DUCSU polls immediately. The elections should be held within a reasonable time. It may be held in three-four months,” BCL general secretary Golam Rabbani said after the meeting.
About the demand for creating an atmosphere for peaceful coexistence of all parties, he claimed that no more than 30 per cent of students of residential halls are BCL activists. "The rest are either non-political or leaders and activists of other student organisations," he argued.
Dhaka University authorities convenes meeting with the leaders of student organizations on Sunday over holding election to Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU). Photo: Dipu Malakar.JCD central president Rajib Ahsan said they urged the authorities to create a congenial atmosphere for education and politics through peaceful coexistence on the campus before holding of the DUCSU polls.
He demanded that the seats at the dormitories should be distributed based on merit, not the muscle.
Left-leaning Bangladesh Chhatra Union (BCU) general secretary Liton Nandi said, “We repeatedly asked the authorities to announce a date for holding DUCSU polls but they didn’t.”
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front’s president Imran Habib said they urged the authorities to hold the DUCSU election within next November.
DU vice chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman said that this meeting was held after a long time. "The authorities will make the decision public after assessing the relevant issues and the situation,” he added.
Asked about the demand for co-existence, the vice chancellor said, “It’s part of the entire process. The hall provosts will do whatever necessary in this regard.”
DU pro vice chancellors Nasreen Ahmed and Abdus Samad, treasurer Kamal Uddin, and proctor Golam Rabbani, among others, were present.
JCD leaders along with convener of pro-BNP teachers' association professor ABM Obaidul Islam reached the meeting venue by a vehicle of the university.
Election to DUCSU, which was once considered the most prestigious elected student union in the country, had not been held since 1990.
(Justnews/ys/2210hr)
