With the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) polls slated for Mar 11 after 28 long years, Mujahidul Islam Selim, who was the first elected Vice President of the union, has called on the authorities to ensure fair voting.  

Terming the initiative to hold the long overdue polls as ‘expiation of misdeeds’, Selim said, “At least the move to deliver the decades-long demand has become a reality.”

However, he also called on the concerned authorities to ensure a fair election which will be free from rigging attempts including early balloting in the dead of night before the voting begins.

He made the call on Wednesday (Jan 23) while speaking with Bangla Tribune on the much awaited DUCSU election.

“The ruling party activists control the Halls, which they have turned into fortresses,” Selim said before adding, “Steps must be taken to ensure that the voting is free from the Hall occupiers’ influence.”

He also urged to make sure that the general students get to exercise their voting rights.

 Asked on the roles of the new DUCSU panel after it gets elected, Selim said, “The students will make those decisions. General students are patriotic and progressive enough. I believe that they also believe in the four principles of our independence war. I have faith in them.”

Expressing optimism about today’s students’ potential, he said, “They will take forward the struggle, we initiated back them aiming to build an institute which nurtures and produces the finest of minds.”

He also hoped that the students will lead the people of the country towards progressive trend and shape a nation which is secular and rooted on real democracy in all essence of the words.

On Jan 23, DU Vice Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman announced in a statement that the university will hold the elections of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and its residential hall unions on Mar 11.

Polls will open at 8am and end on 2pm that day, he added.

Selim became the Vice President of DUCSU in 1972 following the Independence war, where the students’ body played a glorious role. Valiant and dynamic leadership of the then DUCSU panel took the initiative to hoist the Flag of independent Bangladesh for the first time on Mar 2, 1971, at the historic Battala of Dhaka University.

DUCSU was formed a year after Dhaka University was established in 1921. Dhaka University’s student leaders were at the forefront of the Language Movement and the Independence Movement.

Though DUCSU elections are to be held every year, there have only been six since independence.

The last election was held on Jun 6, 1990. Though efforts were made several times, no election has been organised since then.

In January this year, the High Court settled a six-year-old rule on the issue, ordering the polls to be held by six months.