VP-elect Nur terms DUCSU polls stigmatic

Nurul Haq Nur, just after winning DUCSU election as vice president, has called it a stigmatic chapter for Dhaka University. 

In an interview with Prothom Alo, Nur said the election marred by widespread rigging had disappointed people of the country.

"None of us expected such an election after a long hiatus of 28 years. But, the way the ruling party's student organisation with the help of DU administration rigged vote frustrated not just the university but the whole nation. I consider the 11 March election a stigmatic chapter for DU," he said.

The newly-elected DUCSU VP was talking with Prothom Alo at a city hospital around 5:00am Tuesday. Nurul was undergoing treatment there as he was allegedly attacked on Monday by the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling Awami League.

DU vice chancellor Akhtaruzzaman early Tuesday announced Nurul won the post of DUCSU VP beating BCL central unit president Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon by a margin of around 2,000 votes.

When asked about his stand as his panel along with others had already boycotted the polls, Nurul said he would decide over this after discussing with other student organisations.

Nurul comes from Patuakhali and is a 2013-14 session English department student at the university.

He is also the joint convener of the Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council that led the quota reform movement.

While taking part in the quota reform movement, he was attacked and a number of cases were filed against him. He was even sent to jail.

Nurul secured 11,062 votes in the Dhaka University Central Student Union election while his closest contestant Shovon bagged around 9,129.

*This piece has been rewritten in English by Nusrat Nowrin