The authorities on Thursday announced 1,570 candidates primarily eligible to vie in the forthcoming elections to the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union and the hall unions, scheduled to be held on September 9.
The candidates were announced eligible after primary scrutiny of their nomination papers, they said.
Of the 1,570 candidates, 462 were announced qualified for the DUCSU polls and 1108 others for the hall union elections, DUCSU election chief returning officer Mohammad Zashim Uddin said in a press conference at his office on the campus.
Among the qualified DUCSU candidates, 48 are qualified for the post of vice-president, 19 for the general secretary, and 28 for the post of assistant general secretary.
The final list of the candidates will be published on August 26, according to the election schedule.
According to the students’ organisations, at least 10 panels as well as independent candidates are going to contest in the DUCSU elections.
The chief returning officer on Thursday issued a notice regarding the election code of conduct prohibiting candidates from distributing gifts or engaging in any form of service-oriented activities on campus until September 10.
According to the instructions, candidates are prohibited from distributing gifts, providing financial assistance, or conducting similar activities during the period. Any such activity will be considered as a violation of the election code of conduct.
In a separate notice, the chief returning officer instructed the candidates not to carry out any campaign in halls and on the campus until August 25.
‘Candidates will be able to participate in the campaign from August 26,’ said the notice.
On Thursday, a former leader of the Student Against Discrimination and the Bangladesh Students’ Federation, Umama Fatema, announced her 29-member panel titled ‘Satantra Shikkharthi Oikya’ at a press conference at the Aparajeyo Bangla on the campus.
From the panel, Umama Fatema will contest for the post of vice-president, Al Sadi Bhuiyan for general secretary and Jahed Ahmad for the post of assistant general secretary.
The panel also included Numan Ahmad Chowdhury to contest for liberation war and democratic movements affairs secretary post, Mominul Islam for science and technology secretary, Nafiz Bashar Alif for international affairs secretary, Surmi Chakma for common room, reading room and cafeteria secretary, Anid Hasan for literature and culture secretary, Siam Ferdous Emon for research and publication secretary, Sadiquzzaman Sarkar for sports secretary, Rafiz Khan for transport affairs secretary, Tanvir Samad for social service secretary, Rupaiya Shrestha Tanchangya for career development secretary, Israt Jahan Nijhum for health and environment secretary and Nusrat Jahan Nishu for the post of human rights and law secretary.
The panel also includes 14 persons to contest for 13 posts of members in the DUCSU elections.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal panel held a press conference on the campus, reported our DU Correspondent.
JCD panel’s vice-president candidate Abidul Islam Khan said that they were working to finalise their manifesto focusing on the issue of residential hall crisis and abolishing the culture of ‘Ganaroom, Guestroom’.Â
‘We want to solve the accommodation crisis and create mental relief for students so that they can concentrate on studies and stay properly at the university,’ he said.
He said that their full manifesto would reflect Chhatra Dal’s vision.
Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad-led panel ‘DUCSU for Change’ at a separate press conference demanded the inclusion of the candidates’ photographs alongside their names and ballot numbers on ballot papers for the DUCSU elections.
The panel’s vice-president candidate Bin Yamin Mollah said that voters would have to cast 41 votes in the DUCSU and hall union polls, making it difficult to remember only names and numbers.
‘To avoid confusion, candidates’ clear photographs must be printed on the ballot papers. When there are multiple candidates with the same name, voters will face problems if there is no photograph,’ he said.
The latest DUCSU elections were held on March 11, 2019, after a 28-year gap.