One vote wonder: Meet Ducsu’s most courageous candidates

Take inspiration from three brave souls who dared to dream big (or at least dared to fill out a nomination form) in the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election 2025.

Meet the new legends of campus politics: Md Sujan Hossain, Rakibul Hasan and Rasel Haque. Each of them ran for vice-president. Each of them walked away with exactly one vote. Presumably, their own.

It's democracy in its purest form: one person, one vote.

Yes, while Md Abu Shadik (Kayem) of the Shibir-backed Oikyoboddho Shikkharthi Jote panel was busy securing 14,042 votes and the big VP chair, these three underdogs were quietly building a legacy of self-belief.

After all, it takes courage to stand in front of thousands of voters and walk away with one tick mark. Their victory may not be the victory of headlines, but it's certainly the victory of perseverance.

Of course, they weren't the only ones wandering in the wilderness of single digits. A whole cohort of candidates fought gallantly for votes that could be counted on two hands (and for some, one hand was enough).

The valiant underdogs joining in the single-digit club by a colourful cast are: Asif Anwar Antik (5), Jalal Ahmed (8), Deen Mohammad Sohag (6), Mahdi Hasan (9), Md Ajgor Bepari (6), Md Shafi Rahman (6), Md Ataur Rahman Shipon (5), Md Abul Hossain (7), Md Uzzal Hossain (6), Md Nasim Uddin (2), Md Foisal Ahmed (4), Md Mudabbir Rahman (3), Md Rasel Mahmud (7), Md Sohanur Rahman (2), Md Habibullah (2), Md Helalur Rahman (3), Mst Jannati Bulbul (6), Zayed Bin Iqbal (7), Riaz Uddin Ahmed (8), and Shah Jamal Sayem (3).

On the GS front, Md Niyaz Makhdum managed 6 votes while Saiyadul Bashar bravely reached 9. Together, they prove that in Ducsu, every single digit tells a story.

Now, Jalal Ahmed, who got 8 votes, deserves his own credit because he contested the VP post from jail. Yes, you read that right.

Currently behind bars in an attempted murder case after attacking his roommate, Jalal still appeared on the ballot and somehow convinced eight people that he was fit to be VP.

If that doesn't scream "commitment to politics," what does?

Imagine the campaign poster: "Vote for Jalal - he's already serving time for you."

Meanwhile, the serious business of the election saw Shibir-backed candidates sweep 23 out of 28 posts, including GS and AGS. SM Forhad bagged the general secretary's chair with 10,794 votes, and Mohiuddin Khan secured the assistant general secretary post with 11,772. It was a historic moment, marking the first time Shibir openly contested Ducsu polls with a full panel.

But away from the headlines and the historic landslides, it's the one-vote warriors who've captured the imagination.

Sujan, Rakibul and Rasel may not be holding press conferences in the Senate Bhaban, but they've proved something more important: you don't need thousands to believe in you. Sometimes, believing in yourself is enough to put your name on the ballot and make history in your own way.

So, if you're ever feeling down, remember the one-vote club. They remind us that democracy is not just about who wins, but also about who dares. And sometimes, the boldest thing you can do is to raise your hand, cast your own vote, and walk away knowing you believed when no one else did.