DUCSU holds first executive meeting

The first executive meeting of the newly elected Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) was held today, Sunday. At the first meeting, five student representatives of DUCSU for the senate were selected.

The DUCSU executive meeting was held in the conference room adjacent to the office of the Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor this morning.

With this meeting, DUCSU’s activities officially began. Vice-chancellor professor Niaz Ahmed Khan presided over the meeting.

The meeting was attended by 27 leaders of the newly elected DUCSU committee, including vice-president (VP) Shadik Kayem, general secretary (GS) SM Farhad, assistant general secretary (AGS) Muhammad Mohiuddin Khan, liberation war and democratic movement affairs secretary Fatima Tasnim Zuma and student transport affairs secretary Md Asif Abdullah.

However, newly elected literature and cultural affairs secretary Musaddik Ali Ibne Mohammad was absent in the meeting.

Following the meeting, general secretary of DUCSU SM Farhad briefed the newspersons at the Abdul Matin virtual classroom of the university.

At the beginning of the meeting VC professor Niaz Ahmed Khan greeted the elected student representatives with flowers. The DUCSU leaders also greeted the VC with flowers.

Afterwards, they introduced themselves to one another. The vice-president, the acting treasurer, and the vice-chancellor, in his capacity as DUCSU president, addressed the meeting.

The meeting also discussed who would be the five student representatives in the senate and who would serve as DUCSU treasurer. These decisions will soon be published in the gazette.

SM Farhad said they officially started their journey as student representatives today. Regardless of their political affiliations, the elected DUCSU representatives want to set everything aside and serve as the voice of the students.

He further said they plan to draw up a detailed roadmap outlining what tasks they will undertake over the coming year, broken down week by week, and begin implementing it soon.

The DUCSU GS also said there was also a discussion on the five DUCSU representatives in Senate. They also reached a consensus on this. DUCSU VP Abu Shadik Kayem, GS SM Farhad, AGS Muhammad Mohiuddin Khan, student transport affairs secretary Asif Abdullah and member Sabikunnahar Tamanna will represent DUCSU in the senate, he said.

They hope the names of the representatives will be officially gazetted soon.

Explaining the rationale behind appointing the student representatives, S M Farhad said they drew on past experience of how this had been done. In line with that, the VP, GS, and AGS have been selected as representatives. Among the secretaries, the Student Transport Secretary has been appointed, and from the general members, one member has been chosen.

Since a large portion of the students are non-residential, the Student Transport Secretary will be able to raise their concerns. Additionally, Sabikunnahar Tamanna has been appointed to represent female students’ issues. This decision was made based on consensus.

Later, VP Shadik Kayem said their work officially started today. They have repeatedly said that those who are elected are not leaders. They all are representatives. The task of the common students is to question them and their task is to fulfill the commitments they made.

Those present have pledged that, they will stand by the 40,000 students of Dhaka University as caring elder brothers and sisters, listening to and addressing their personal, family, academic, or off-campus issues.

They are committed to tackling every problem that students face, the DUCSU VP said.

He further said after being elected, they have reached out to students and made an effort to listen to them. Everyone has emerged victorious in the election. Through the DUCSU election, the July generation has won, and the aspirations of the martyrs have been fulfilled.