Most Ducsu panels keep research secretary post vacant to honour Tonni, injured in July
Tonni, who was injured during the anti-discrimination movement in July 2024, will contest independently for the post
Nearly all major panels have left the post of research and publications affairs secretary vacant ahead of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) elections in honour of Sanjida Ahmed Tonni, who was injured in the July Uprising.
On 15 July 2024, the image of Tonni's bloodied face following a Chhatra League assault sparked outrage across the country and galvanised students and citizens onto the streets. Last week, she announced her candidacy as an independent for the research and publications secretary position.
Since then, one by one, student organisations have declared they will not nominate their own candidates for the post.
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Abdul Kader, convener of the Dhaka University unit of the BGCS, said: "Tonni was the spark of our July uprising, the inspiration behind our resistance. Out of respect for her, our supported panel has left the research and publications secretary post vacant."
Today, BNP's student wing Chhatra Dal announced its full Ducsu panel, with central president Rakibul Islam Rakib confirming they too left the position vacant in honour of Tonni.
Earlier, the left-leaning "Protirodh Porshad" alliance had named Alomgir Hossain for the post when unveiling its full panel. But after filing nomination papers on Thursday, its AGS candidate, Md Jabir Ahmed Jube,l told reporters: "In respect for our comrade Tonni, injured during the 2024 mass uprising, we are withdrawing our candidate from this post. She has our full support."
Similarly, Islami Chhatra Andolon's panel "Conscious Students' Union" left the position vacant, with its career development secretary Shanto Mia saying: "Tonni's iconic image stirred the nation in July. It became a symbol against authoritarian misrule."
The Dhaka University unit of Student Federation also formed a partial 11-member panel, "Unity to Rebuild," whose convener Armanul Haque said: "We have not nominated anyone for research secretary since Tonni is contesting. We will support her."
The "Combined Students' Union" panel, whose VP candidate is Jamaluddin Muhammad Khalid and GS candidate is recently expelled NCP leader Mahin Sarkar, also opted not to nominate anyone for the post out of respect for Tonni.
The only exception is Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed "Oikyoboddho Shikkharthi Jote" (United Students' Alliance), which nominated Sajjad Hossain Khan for research and publications secretary. Explaining the move, Shibir's DU president and GS candidate SM Farhad said: "We have full respect for Tonni. But there are also many other students who were injured in July, and they, too, deserve recognition."
He noted that their panel also includes Jasimuddin Khan, the only DU student to lose an eye during the 2024 uprising, contesting for international affairs secretary.
Reacting to the support, Tonni said: "I am grateful to the organisations that have honoured me by leaving the research secretary post vacant and expressing confidence in me."
She added, "I believe my skills and experience in research make me a worthy candidate. One of my studies is awaiting publication in an international journal, and in my master's, I am conducting research on the mental health of female students."
