The much-awaited Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and Hall Sangsad elections are going to be held today.
These elections are taking place during the interim government, which has instilled new confidence and hope among the students.
It is hoped that this election will be held in a festive mood. After the fall of fascist regime, students will vote in a free environment without fear.
This time, changes have been made to the voting booths of DUCSU. Earlier, there were booths inside the hall, but this time the booths have been brought outside the hall.
As a result, this year’s election will be free from the influence of fear, intimidation, and pressure. It is expected that there will be CCTV cameras in each booth, which will also help in making the vote fair.
There are six strong panels in the discussion in this election – Chhatra Dal, United Students Alliance (Shibir), Anti-Discrimination Student Organization, Resistance Council, Independent Student Unity and DUCSU for Change.
Almost all panels have also highlighted their inclusive nature by nominating women and visually impaired candidates.
In DUCSU and Hall Sangsad, a voter will have the opportunity to cast a total of 41 votes. The total number of voters is 39,775.
The number of female voters is 18,902, which is 47.52 percent of the total votes. A total of 471 candidates are contesting for 28 posts.
Whatever the reason, a large section of students are reluctant to accept the dictatorship and the mass room-guest room culture of the banned student organization Chhatra League in the past.
That is likely to be a major issue in this election. Students want to bring Dhaka University out of the politics of oppression in the public rooms and guest rooms. All those who have run in the elections are making that promise.
Still, the shadow of the country’s mainstream politics, whether in name or in name, remains over the student organizations in the elections.
The personal reputation of the candidate and the activities of the candidates will influence the decision of the voters.
They can vote selectively for the big positions, the positions they want, because not everyone may be interested in choosing candidates for 41 positions and voting for all of them within their attention or familiarity range.
We expect that DUCSU election will become a positive example not only for the campus but also for the democratic culture of the country. New leadership will be developed, and the path to protecting the rights of students will be strengthened.
