A total of 565 nomination forms were sold till Monday against 28 posts in the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union elections scheduled to be held on September 9.
Besides, a total of 1,226 students collected nomination papers against different posts of the hall union elections in the 18 halls of the university.
DUCSU election chief returning officer Professor Mohammad Zashim Uddin came up with the information at a press briefing at his office in the university’s Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban on Monday.
Though Monday was the last day for selling nomination papers for the DUCSU and hall union elections, the election commission extended the deadline by a day.
Now, the aspirants will be able to collect nomination papers till 5:00pm today.
The deadline for submission of the nomination papers was Tuesday but the deadline was also extended by a day. Now, the aspirants will be able to submit their nomination papers till 5:00pm on Wednesday.
The final list of candidates will be published at 1:00pm on August 21 after scrutiny.
On the hall union elections, the chief returning officer said that a total of 1,226 students collected nomination papers for different posts in 18 halls.
Among them, 71 collected forms from Salimullah Muslim Hall, 97 from Shahidullah Hall, 93 from Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall, 66 from Jagannath Hall, 78 from Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall,46 from Rokeya Hall, 90 from Surja Sen Hall, 74 from Mohsin Hall, 37 from Shamsun Nahar Hall, 74 from Jasimuddin Hall, 87 from Ziaur Rahman Hall, 69 from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, 29 from Kuwait Maitree Hall, 30 from Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, 84 from Amar Ekushey Hall, 40 from Sufia Kamal Hall, 88 from Bijoy Ekattor Hall and 73 from Sir A F Rahman Hall.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is yet to finalise its panel, but its leaders collected nomination forms in three phases on Monday.
Jasimuddin Hall Chhatra Dal convener Tanvir Bari Hamim said their panel would be finalised by Monday night, adding that it would include those who stood by students during 17 years of ‘fascism’.
The left students’ alliance also announced its panel on the day. Sheikh Tasnim Afroz Emi, former vice-president of Shamsunnahar Hall, will contest for the post of vice-president, while Chhatra Union’s DU unit president Meghmallar Bosu will vie for the post of general secretary.
The announcement was made at a press conference by Biplobi Chhatra Maitri’s general secretary Jabir Ahmed Jubel, who will contest for the post of assistant general secretary.
He said that the panel included representatives from Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Biplobi Chhatra Maitri, Chhatra Council, Chhatra Juba Andolan, Pahari Chhatra Parishad, Ganatantrik Chhatra Mancha, and general students.
The Islami Chhatra Shibir announced a full 28-member panel, incorporating not only its activists but also students from minority communities, those injured during the July uprising, and members of platforms such as Up Bangladesh and Inquilab Mancha.
At a press conference, the organisation’s secretary general Nurul Islam Saddam announced that Abu Sadiq Kayem would vie for the post of vice-president, SM Farhad for general secretary, and Mohiuddin Khan for assistant general secretary.
The Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad will contest in the election under the banner of ‘Anti-Discrimination Students’ Union’, though candidates for specific posts have not been announced yet.
Students Against Discrimination’s former spokesperson Umama Fatema will lead an independent panel.
She collected her nomination paper on Monday and is expected to run for the post of vice-president, alongside Al Sadi Bhuiyan, former president of Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, for general secretary, and current president Mohiuddin Muzahid Mahi for assistant general secretary.
The leaders of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, among other organisations, collected their nomination papers on Monday.
The nomination paper collection began on August 12.
The latest DUCSU elections were held on March 11, 2019 after 28 years.