Shibir panel wins Ducsu polls under a different banner, while Chhatra Dal contested on own name: Salahuddin
He said, “There were some irregularities in the election, which is perhaps to be expected as it was held after many years”
The Islami Chhatra Shibir panel contested Ducsu election under the 'Oikyoboddho Shikkharthi Jote' banner, while Chhatra Dal ran under its own name, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said today (10 September).
However, the BNP congratulated the winners of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) election.
"The Ducsu election has been held, as have student union elections at other universities. Personally, I extend my congratulations to those who have won in the Ducsu polls. This is the principle of democracy. There were some irregularities in the election, which is perhaps to be expected as it was held after many years," Salahuddin said while addressing a discussion at the Diploma Engineers' Institute in Kakrail, organised to mark the 47th founding anniversary of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal.
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Referring to media reports, he added, "It is being said that the Shibir-backed panel has won. But they contested under the banner of Oikyoboddho Shikkharthi Jote (United Students' Alliance), while Chhatra Dal took part under its own name. Still, I extend my congratulations to them."
Looking ahead, Salahuddin stressed the need to transform Bangladesh's political culture. "The greatest struggle facing us after 2024 is the struggle to reshape the country's political culture in its new journey. We must carry forward this struggle for change and establish a culture rooted in democracy, tolerance and consensus," he said.
Asked whether the Ducsu election could influence national polls, Salahuddin noted, "Many of those elected to Ducsu under the banner of major political parties have later gone on to become members of parliament. But none of those elected as independents have, to date, entered parliament."
He further said, "Student politics is the cradle of movements, of change, of state transformation. At any university, especially one of such significance, student politics must exist."
The BNP leader added, "No one wants a kind of student politics that produces fascists."
This year's Ducsu election marked a historic first, as the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed Oikyoboddho Shikkharthi Jote won 23 of the 28 posts. Panels backed by the Chhatra Dal and Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad failed to secure a single seat.
Shadik Kayem, the Shibir-backed candidate, was elected vice-president after securing 14,042 votes, defeating his nearest rival Abidul Islam Khan of Chhatra Dal, who received 5,708 votes.
