A student-led initiative, the ‘IUCSU formation movement’, was launched at the Islamic University in Kushtia, demanding the formation of the long-awaited Islamic University Central Students’ Union and the announcement of a clear roadmap for its establishment.
The platform was launched in a press conference organisded under the banner of general students at the university’s Teacher Students’ Cultural Centre on Saturday.
The platform announced a sit-in and a mass signature campaign to gain students’ support for the formation of IUCSU.
Borhan uddin, a student of the Development Studies department of the university, in his written statement on behalf of the platform, outlined the movement’s demands and reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful and democratic reforms.
It said that the university administration consistently avoided forming IUCSU, often citing the absence of a formal provision in the Islamic University Act.
It said that they, through media reports, had learnt that students’ unions had been formed in other universities due to administrative goodwill.
It said that absence of a central student union, even after nearly five decades of its establishment, was a major obstacle to democratic culture on the campus.
‘A central students’ union is essential for nurturing leadership, advocating for student rights, improving student-teacher relations, supporting underprivileged students, and contributing to national education discourse. Yet, it does not exist here. Various vested interests continue to block its formation for their own benefit.’
The platform welcomed the recent progress at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and Rajshahi University where central students’ union elections had been scheduled after years of stagnation.
They appealed to the leaders of student organisations, civil society groups, and political parties, who had long advocated for initiating IUCSU, to support them.
IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Yeaqub Ali said, ‘The matter of forming the IUCSU will be included in the agenda of the upcoming syndicate meeting.’
