Curtain falls on Ducsu campaign in festive spirit

On the final day of campaigning for the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) and hall union elections, candidates were active across the campus with their respective panel programmes and promises.

Showing creative talent, candidates distributed flyers themed after legal notices, dollar and taka bills, bookmarks, playing cards and even Gen-Z pop culture elements in a bid to draw attention. 

The campus was flooded with campaign materials, some of which students were collecting as souvenirs due to their unique designs.

Iraj Nur Chowdhury, a fourth-year student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, told The Business Standard, "Compared to previous days, there was much greater excitement today since it is the last day of campaigning. In my four years at the university, I've rarely seen such a festive atmosphere."

JCD candidates take oath

Candidates from the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD)-backed panel formally took oath in the this afternoon. The ceremony took place around 1:15pm at the historic Bot Tola beside the Arts Building.

Present at the event were JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib, DU unit President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas, and General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon. The students recited an eight-point pledge, including ensuring a safe, inclusive, and repression-free campus.

Later in the afternoon, JCD-backed GS candidate Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim told TBS, "The election atmosphere seems good so far, though there are some concerns. But since the election is only a day away, I don't want to alarm students. I hope they can cast their votes in a festive and joyful environment."

Meghmallar back to campaigns, straight from hospital

Meghmallar Basu, GS candidate from the panel Pratirodh Parshad, joined a press conference at Madhur Canteen after being released from hospital, arriving in a wheelchair.

Calling on non-residential students to cast their votes, he said, "Vote for whoever you want, but do come and vote. If you do, none of the current equations will hold. If you come to vote, anti-liberation forces won't be able to win a single post."

Later in the evening, he told TBS,  "I campaigned for about half an hour to an hour. I've seen enthusiasm among students about voting, but how many actually come out to vote remains uncertain."

Independent candidates also active

Jamaluddin Muhammad Khalid, VP candidate from the Combined Student Union panel, was seen campaigning at VC Chattar and the Central Library.

On Facebook, he wrote, "Today's feedback has made me very hopeful. Inshallah, the numbers on the ground will prove wrong all the floating assumptions."

Al Sadi Bhuiyan, GS candidate from the independent Student Unity panel (Umama-Sadi), campaigned at TSC in the evening.

Candidates for hall unions were equally active. In the evening, visits to AF Rahman Hall, Mohsin Hall, Surya Sen Hall, and Bijoy Ekattor Hall showed candidates going room to room for last-minute canvassing. They were also seen distributing leaflets at the hall gates.

At 8pm in AF Rahman Hall, candidates from various panels and independent contenders could be seen moving door to door seeking votes.

Independent GS candidate for AF Rahman Hall, Ashikul Hoque Rifat, told TBS, "I'm visiting every room in these final moments, seeking advice from well-wishers. I'm meeting juniors to maintain our ground and addressing my shortcomings. Since regional factors also play a role in hall elections, tonight I plan to sit with students from different districts."

Booth numbers increased

At a regular press briefing this afternoon at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, Chief Returning Officer Professor Jasim Uddin said concerns had been raised about booth numbers.

Initially there were 710 booths across eight centres, but this has now been increased to 810 to prevent inconvenience for both residential and non-residential voters.

He urged students not to pay heed to rumours, "If you hear anything, contact the returning officers' office directly. Follow the university's official Facebook page and website. Don't believe rumours."

Professor Jasim Uddin added that reports had surfaced about fake ID cards being prepared for use in voting lines. Measures have been taken to verify identities at polling centres, and anyone caught will be handed over to police. Legitimate voters, however, will be able to vote smoothly.

On campaign violations, Professor Golam Rabbani, convener of the Ducsu code of conduct taskforce, said, "From the beginning of campaigning until now, we've acted on every complaint. Some were addressed verbally or by phone, others in writing, and in two cases we took punitive measures."

This year, Ducsu has a total of 39,874 registered voters. Students will cast their ballots tomorrow from 8am to 4pm. They will elect candidates for 41 posts in total — 28 in the central union and 13 across the hall unions.