Uno cards, legal notices and dollar bills: Ducsu candidates unleash wave of campaign creativity across campus

With the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election just days away, campaigning is in full swing. But this time around, candidates have taken a creative approach.  

Even the uncertainty surrounding the election — postponed and then reinstated within less than an hour — has failed to dampen spirits. 

No matter where you stand on campus, sooner or later, a leaflet will find its way into your hand. But instead of the usual paper, you might suddenly find yourself holding a brightly coloured Uno card.

This creative twist comes from the mind of Nusrat Jahan Sauda, candidate for a member post. Her ballot number, 59, 'Uno-Shaṭ' in Bangla, sounds exactly like the card game Uno. So she leaned into the pun, printing nearly 4,000 Uno cards in four different colours. 

From Sufia Kamal Hall to every campus thoroughfare, Sauda's Uno cards have already made their playful mark.

Photo: Ayesha Humayra Waresa

And while an Uno card might catch you off guard, picture the distinct shock of returning from a busy day of classes, only to find yourself holding a legal notice!

That is the stunt Muhammad Mehedi Hasan Munna has pulled. Better known as 'Manobadhikar Munna', he is running for the Human Rights and Law Secretary post in the upcoming Ducsu elections. 

"I need people to know my manifesto," he laughed. "But let's be honest — who reads manifestos these days? So I thought, why not give them something intrinsically tied to the position, in a way that at least intrigues them to read it?"

But Munna went even further. To win over female voters, he designed butterfly-shaped cards. Butterflies, he explained, represent women's liberation.

However, one campaign material that stands out the most are leaflets designed to look like banknotes or even US dollars. At first glance, they seem like photocopies of real currency, but a closer look reveals the campaign message.

Photo: Ayesha Humayra Waresa

The candidates have replaced the denomination of the banknote with their ballot numbers. Instead of the classic line, "The bearer is promised the sum of…", the leaflets read, "The bearer is requested to oblige by voting for this candidate on the ballot"! 

This method has been put to clever use by central member candidate Mohammad Abdul Mukit Parvez, Safayat Khalil Nakib and many others.

Still, even the cleverest of paper creations rarely survive long — admired for a moment, then tossed aside. That has not slowed the arms race of campaign ideas. To make their materials both memorable and useful, some candidates are turning to bookmarks.

These bookmarks arrive imbued with their own distinctive references. Abidul Islam Khan, vice president candidate from the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal panel, designed one set inspired by Studio Ghibli and Van Gogh's The Starry Night. 

Another set pays homage to Aparajeyo Bangla and the illustrated tradition of Michael Madhusudan Dutta's Meghnad Badh Kavya. Both feature his widely quoted line from last year, "Please, let no one leave anyone behind".

Independent candidate Sabil Ahmed took a different route, weaving campus nostalgia into his bookmarks. His designs celebrate familiar faces and places: Swapan Mama, the beloved tea seller at TSC; Sakib's tea stall, another student hotspot; and Avro, the campus dog adored by all around TSC. The bookmark is not just a campaign tool, but a heartfelt memento of cherished campus life itself.

When it comes to reimagining campaign style, Mohammad Shamshuddoja Nawab, a central member candidate, has elevated the game. He first grabbed attention with a campaign video inspired by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which quickly made waves among students. Now, he's riding a fresh wave of praise with leaflets modeled after the popular TV series Breaking Bad — a pop culture twist that sets his campaign apart.

Candidates have also been shaping their campaign cards to match the posts they are contesting. Zahin Ferdous Jami, running for Sports Secretary, handed out miniature cards shaped like cricket bats. Science and Technology Secretary candidate Shakib Khan has printed his campaign leaflets modeled after the Wi-Fi symbol. 

The Student Transport Secretary race has been even more visually striking. 

Mohammad Asif Zardari turned heads with cards designed as buses, while his rival Rafiz Khan — already known on campus as 'Rafiz Paribahan' — crafted cards modeled after the university's iconic red buses.

Even the recent 'Letter Day' celebration on campus became fertile ground for campaign creativity. Seizing this unique occasion, several candidates meticulously penned heartfelt handwritten notes or printed personalised letters, distributing them widely among students. The outcome was a captivating blend of personal warmth and strategic political messaging, adding yet another layer to the inventive spirit sweeping the election.

But not every candidate is racing to showcase creativity. Some prefer to stick with traditional methods.

Maisha Maliha, running for vice president from Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall, opted for a conventional leaflet design. "I tried to design mine just like the ones we usually see in national elections or any other polls," she explained. "Otherwise, it doesn't feel like a real election to me. I truly appreciate all the creative ideas out there, but I chose to follow the long-standing practice of printing leaflets in the traditional style." 

The palpable buzz of the Ducsu election campaigns has not been confined to candidates and voters alone; printing shops surrounding the campus are also thriving in this festive rush. At Gausul Azam Market, nestled directly beside the university, rows of presses are roaring at full tilt, ceaselessly churning out posters, leaflets and an array of campaign cards.

At Jhorna Enterprise, owner Ranjit Sarkar enthusiastically described it as his busiest season yet. Even without the quirky, offbeat orders that are defining this election, the steadfast demand for traditional leaflets has not dipped in the slightest. 

"Not a single candidate is printing fewer than a thousand posters," he remarked with a beaming smile.

Just nearby, at Arafat Press, Mominul proudly displayed stacks of bookmarks, alongside the now-familiar 'currency-style' leaflets mimicking taka and dollar bills. He had been in the trade during the 2019 DUCSU election, but he insisted this time feels fundamentally different. 

"There's a truly festive atmosphere everywhere," he explained. "Last time the election was entirely one-sided — other groups didn't even dare to get posters made. I remember a couple of students from the opposition nervously came in, whispering for just two pads. This time, everyone is participating openly. They're coming with their own designs, their own ideas. Voters are happy, candidates are happy, and we printers are happy too."

And those much-talked-about Uno cards? They rolled off the presses at Manikganj Printing, situated just around the corner from Arafat Press. Owner Mohammad Yusuf Mollah was caught in the whirlwind of taking new orders when we connected with him, expertly juggling clients while his machines kept rolling. 

He admitted he had not realised how popular the Uno cards would become across campus. A visible mix of pride and disbelief flickered across his face. "Apart from the Uno inspiration, it's been all regular leaflets. But if anyone wants something like that again… make sure they come to me!"

Alongside traditional offline campaigns, candidates for the Ducsu elections have taken to the online space with full force. On Facebook, they are using innovative posters, memes and videos to capture voters' attention.

Central member candidate Arka Barua, for instance, has already gained popularity through his campaign videos, which showcase his message in a creative format. Similarly, Faria Matin Ila, running for Literature and Culture Secretary, has used videos to sing and promote her campaign. Another candidate, Mahbub Khalasi, organised events featuring songs and poetry under the banner of 'Bohu Shorer Protidhoni,' though the university later issued a show-cause notice regarding the gatherings.

Memes have also emerged as a popular tool for candidates to connect with voters online. Among all digital strategies, photo cards highlighting individual manifestos have proved to be the most widely viewed and shared, allowing candidates to reach a broad audience in a visually engaging way.

With only a narrow window to reach thousands of students, candidates are trying everything — from time-honoured traditional methods to strikingly innovative ones.  

Candidates may distribute handbills, posters, or leaflets, but nothing can be hung or pasted across campus. That leaves leaflet distribution as the primary and most visible tool of campaigning, turning it into both a challenge and an opportunity for creativity.

According to the schedule, campaigning will continue until 7 September.