Ducsu term ends, leaders can stay for up to 90 more days

The one-year term of the current executive committee of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) ended on Monday (14 September).

However, under the Ducsu constitution, the elected representatives can remain in office for up to another 90 days if a new election is not held within their regular term. They can stay until the election is held or the 90-day period ends, whichever comes first.

During this period, their responsibilities will be limited to routine activities, and they will not be able to take any major or policy decisions.

Article 6(C) of the Ducsu constitution states that elected office-bearers serve for 365 days. If an election is not held within that period, they may remain in office for another 90 days or until an election is held, whichever comes first. Ducsu will automatically stand dissolved after that period.

The current representatives, however, have urged the university administration to announce the election schedule quickly.

"We do not want an extension of our responsibilities. We want the election schedule to be announced quickly. Those who are newly elected through the election will run Ducsu," Ducsu Career Development Secretary Mazharul Islam told The Business Standard.

"However, preparations are required to hold the election, particularly one to two months of preparation for announcing the schedule. But we do not visibly see any such preparation from the university administration," he added.

The university administration, meanwhile, said it wants to move towards the election based on the views and consensus of student organisations.

Dhaka University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof Mohammad Almojaddedee Alfesani told The Business Standard that the university's senior administration had already held a meeting with the provosts of different residential halls over the Ducsu election.

"We have asked the provosts to follow the necessary procedures to initiate the Ducsu election process and hold discussions with different student organisations in their respective halls," he said.

"They have also been asked to inform us about what preparations can currently be made for the Ducsu election, their plans and the views of the student organisations," he added.

He said the university administration would soon sit with different active student organisations and seek their opinions.

"As the Ducsu election is held through the student organisations, we will move towards the election based on consensus among them," Almojaddedee said.