DUCSU: Female students will set the direction of polls, says Umama Fatema

It is a big challenge to bringing women to polling centers, and this time, female voters consist of 47 per cent of the total voters in the Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections. These female voters will determine the direction of elections, Umama Fatema, Vice President candidate from the Independent Student Unity panel, said on Saturday.

She made these remarks replying to queries from journalists while campaigning in the DUCSU polls at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall of the university on Saturday noon.

There are currently 39,874 voters, including 18,959 female voters, in the DUCSU and hall union elections, scheduled to be held on 9 September.

Replying to a query about whether the results will be determined by the votes of female students, Umama Fatema said, female students are not easily influenced by others. They have a rational way of thinking. Female students feel comfortable voting independently. As a result, this time the course of DUCSU will depend on where the 47 per cent female student voters cast their ballots. “I believe that female students will be the major factor in creating the margin in DUCSU this time,” she added.

Mentioning that it is a challenge to bring female students to the polling centers, Umama Fatema said, “The first challenge in bringing female students to vote is that many have gone home. Many are on study leave for exam preparation. Many others think of DUCSU only as a political platform. Because of this, there is reluctance among female students to vote.”

“Again, many have been taken home by their families after receiving phone calls. From that perspective, I think bringing female students to polling centers has become a challenge. Besides, the female polling centers have been placed far away from the halls. This will reduce the enthusiasm among voters,” she added.

Umama Fatema said, “If all female students come to vote, then voter turnout will exceed 35,000. We hope female students will come to vote en masse. We are encouraging them.”

Umama Fatema said that she has not included anything in the manifesto that cannot be implemented.

She said that a framework for political reform on campus after 5 August needs to be drawn up. In that regard, a pledge has been made to hold a social dialogue among the administration, general students, and student organisations.