DUCSU election: Can leftists repeat history

The seven leftist student organisations have fielded the highest 12 female candidates for the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election.

There are also four candidates from the minority and indigenous communities.

Out of 28 posts, the Pratirodh Porshod has nominated candidates for 16 posts from women, minorities, and indigenous communities. In addition, there is one candidate with special needs.

The Protirodh Porshod slogan has been set as 'Somotay-Protirodhe Nirapod Campus' (A Safe Campus in Equality and Resistance). Left-leaning groups believe that diversity, the candidates’ profiles, and their consistent protest-oriented role will help them do well in the election. The question is can the leftists repeat history?

The left leaning student organisations have done well in the DUCSU elections held before and after the independence of Bangladesh. The Chhatra Union and the Chhatra League were the two most prominent student organisations at the time.

After independence, Chhatra League split into two organisations - Chhatra League and Jasad Chhatra League. Of these, Chhatra League was the student wing of the Awami League, which is now banned. Jasad Chhatra League is the student wing of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).

Since 1963, DUCSU and hall union elections have been held 13 times. Among left-leaning student organisations, candidates from Chhatra Union won the VP post four times and the GS post four times.

Candidates from Jasad Chhatra League won the VP post twice, while candidates from BASAD Chhatra League (now defunct) won once. For the GS post, BASAD Chhatra League candidates won twice and Jasad Chhatra League once.

In the most recent DUCSU election in 2019, the leftists did not perform well, although that election was highly controversial.

There are 10 active left leaning student organisations on Dhaka University campus. Seven of them together formed the Pratirodh Porshod.

The organisations are Students’ Union (Tamzid-Shimul), Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (Marxist), Biplobi Chhatra Maitree, Ganotantrik Chhatra Council, Pahari Chhatra Parishad (UPDF), Chhatra Federation (Jatiya Mukti Council) and Biplobi Chhatra-Juba Andolan.

Meanwhile, three other leftist organisations –- Students’ Union (Mahir-Bahauddin), Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (Basad) and BCL (Bangladesh Jasad) -- formed another panel named ‘Aparajeyo 71 o Adamya 24’. However, the Protirodh Porshod is more in the limelight among the two leftist panels.

Assistant general secretary (AGS) candidate from the Pratirodh Porshod Jabir Ahmed Jubel told Prothom Alo, “Our panel has been formed with women, men, indigenous and Bengali candidates, who together represent the diverse character of Dhaka University. They have been at the forefront of resistance on the campus at various times and are well-known faces through their individual activities.”

Sk Tasnim Afroz Emi has been nominated for the VP post from the Pratirodh Porshod. She was not affiliated with any student organisation. She was elected the VP of the Shamsunnahar Hall union.

Sources in the left leaning student organisations say Tasnim Afroz has been made the VP candidate considering the goal to form the panel including students outside the left leaning organisations.

Pratirodh Porshod’s GS candidate Meghmallar Basu is a well-known face on the campus. For his protest-oriented role, he was attacked several times by Chhatra League during the July mass uprising. He is also known as a good debater.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Tuesday, Meghmallar said he had suddenly fallen ill. He will undergo surgery and will have to refrain from direct campaigning on campus for a few days.

AGS post candidate Jabir Ahmed Jubel is the general secretary of Biplobi Chhatra Maitree. He is also known on the campus as a rebellious figure. In the panel, Mozammel Haque, convener of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front of Dhaka University unit, is the candidate for liberation war and democratic movement affairs secretary.

Nuzia Hasan, president of Biplobi Chhatra Maitree of Dhaka University unit, is the candidate for common room, reading room and cafeteria affairs secretary. Both are familiar faces on the campus.

One 'factor' in this DUCSU election is who spoke out against Chhatra League’s repression and what role they played in the July mass uprising. Before the July uprising, left-leaning student organisations had always taken a protest-oriented stance against Chhatra League’s repression and the injustices and irregularities of the university administration.

Speaking to four leaders of the Pratirodh Porshod, it has been learnt that they want to use their rebellious role in the DUCSU election campaign. They are sharing photos of them being attacked by the Chhatra League and law enforcement agencies during the mass uprising, as part of their campaign. Alongside their support of the July uprising, they also want to leverage their pro-Liberation War stance.

The Pratirodh Porshod leaders say having no allegation of extortion, tender business, violence and torture and the stance in favour of individual and women freedom.

However, they claim many are spending a lot of money to run publicity campaigns. They are not doing this and cannot afford such an amount of money either.

Some consider it a challenge that they do not have sufficient organisational strength. However, two candidates said that many outside the organisations are supporting them. Additionally, their candidates are well-known faces on campus. They believe they will receive votes from ordinary students. However, they have expressed concern about possible ‘election engineering’.

Two candidates of the Pratirodh Porshod say the number of polling centres has been kept low. As a result, out of 40,000 students, only about 20,000 may be able to vote. If it takes a long time to cast votes, then general students may not be interested in voting, which could give an advantage to certain panels. They refer to this as ‘election engineering.’

Pratirodh Porshod candidates also claim that no action is being taken regarding allegations of code-of-conduct violations.

Voting for the DUCSU and Hall Union election will be held on 9 September. The Pratirodh Porshod leaders said whatever their results in the election, they will continue with their rebellious stance. Victory or defeat in the election has no bearing on this.

Mozammel Haque, candidate for liberation war and democratic movement affairs secretary from the Pratirodh Porshod in the DUCSU election, told Prothom Alo that the struggle they waged during the fascist era is being continued through the DUCSU election. He said their fight will continue in any case even after the election.