Rucsu polls: Meet the 11 panels
Of the 11 panels, only the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir have announced full panels. Among them, Chhatra Dal is fielding a complete panel with its own activists, while Shibir has included members of various clubs and socio-cultural organisations alongside their activists.
Highlights
- 11 panels and several independents to contest Rucsu polls
- Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir field full 23-member panels
- Former anti-discrimination leaders split into five panels
- First-ever female VP candidate Tasin Khan announces 21-member panel
- Shibir panel brands itself "inclusive" with women, Hindu and July Movement activist
- Total 247 candidates vying for 23 posts including 18 for VP, 13 for GS and 16 for AGS
Ahead of the Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (Rucsu) elections, students have so far announced 11 panels. Apart from these, many candidates are contesting as independents.
Of the 11 panels, only the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir have announced full panels. Among them, Chhatra Dal is fielding a complete panel with its own activists, while Shibir has included members of various clubs and socio-cultural organisations alongside their activists.
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Meanwhile, former coordinators of Students Against Discrimination have split into five different panels. The only female candidate for the vice president post has also announced her own independent panel.
Oikyo-boddho Notun Projonmo: Rajshahi University Chhatra Dal has announced a 23-member full panel under this banner. Sheikh Nur Uddin Abir has been nominated for VP, Nafiwul Jibon for general secretary, and Jahan Biswas Esha for assistant general secretary. Their panel includes four female candidates and one Hindu candidate.
Abir is a master's student of public administration and vice-president of the RU Chhatra Dal. Nafiwul Jibon, also a master's student, is office secretary of the RU Chhatra Dal. AGS candidate Esha is a student of the music department and joint general secretary of the RU Chhatra Dal.
Sammilito Shikkharthi Jote: Islami Chhatra Shibir has announced a 23-member full panel titled Sammilito Shikkharthi Jote. Mustakur Rahman Jahid, president of RU Shibir and a student of agronomy and agriculture extension, has been nominated for VP.
Former coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination and ex-general secretary of the Student Rights Association, Fahim Reza, has been nominated for GS. He is a student of biochemistry. For AGS, Shibir organiser SM Salman Sabbir, a statistics student and president of the Vocal Student Network, has been nominated.
They call theirs an "inclusive panel," with three women, one Hindu student, and a July Movement activist who lost an eye. Their slogan is – "To build the campus of our dreams, our journey is unstoppable."
Adhipatya Birodhi Oikya: Led by three former coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, this panel has 18 members. Mehedi Sojib, former coordinator and ex-president of the Student Rights Association, is contesting for VP. For GS, cultural activist Salauddin Ammar, and for AGS, former central organiser of the Ganatantrik Shikkharthi Parshad Akil Bin Taleb are contesting.
Rucsu for Radical Change: This is a 19-member panel backed by the Student Rights Council, Bangladesh Student Federation, Career Club, cultural group Uttaran, and a blood donation organisation. The VP candidate is Chhatra Odkhikar Parishad's RU president Mehedi Maruf. GS candidate is Afreen Jahan from Uttaran. AGS candidate Al Shahriya Shuvo is the RU general secretary of Chhatra Odkhikar Parishad.
Ganotantrik Shikkharthi Parishad: Left-wing student groups and pro-democracy students have formed this 16-member panel. VP candidate Fuad Ratul of the Socialist Student Front is a former anti-discrimination coordinator. GS candidate Kawsar Ahmed is the treasurer of one faction of Chhatra Union. Nasim Sarkar, convener of Student Forum, has been nominated for AGS. The panel says its aim is to resist partisan and fascist tendencies and strengthen democratic rights of students.
Sarbajanin Shikkharthi Sangsad: Tasin Khan, a female student of the Institute of Education and Research, is contesting for VP – the first woman to do so in Rucsu's 63-year history. She has announced this 21-member independent panel, including GS candidate Rajan Al Ahmed and AGS candidate Mahayer Islam.
Oporajeyo 71 – Oprotihoto 24: This is a 7-member panel backed by the Bangladesh Chhatra Union. VP candidate Masud Kibria is a theatre student while GS candidate Paroma Parmita a fine arts student. Matiur Rahman Sanjid, a fine arts student, has been nominated for AGS.
Socheton Shikkharthi Sangsad: Supported by Islami Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh, this 13-member panel has nominated Mahbub Alam for VP, Shariful Islam Sharif for GS, and Parvez Akand for AGS. There are no female candidates in this panel.
Swatantra Shikkharthi Jote: This is a six-member panel of general students, including VP candidate Touhidul Islam of Philosophy department, GS candidate Nusrat Jahan Nupur of Arabic, and AGS candidate Jannatul Ara Nowshin of Social work. It also nominated candidates for information secretary, environment and welfare secretary, and an executive member.
United for Rights: This is an apolitical platform contesting 11 editorial posts but has no VP, GS, or AGS candidates.
Independent Student Alliance: A panel built to unite all independent candidates. While it does not field VP, GS, or AGS candidates, it allows independents to campaign collectively.
According to the final list, 247 candidates are contesting 23 posts. Of them, 18 are vying for VP, including one woman; 13 for GS, including four women; and 16 for AGS, including two women. The rest are contesting various secretarial and executive member posts.
