BNP embarrassed with DUCSU results, Jamaat delighted

Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has secured a historic victory in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election. Now it is in the discussion whether this victory will have an impact on national politics or in Jamaat’s politics.

Candidates from the Shibir-backed panel have won 23 of the 28 DUCSU posts, including the posts of vice president (VP), general secretary (GS). On the other hand, this election has exposed the organisational weakness of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), which embarrassed the leaders of the party.

Now it has become the centre of discussion in every quarter about how the Chhatra Shibir secured victory by such a wide margin and why the panels from the JCD or the Boishamya Birodhi Shikharthi Sangsad did so badly in the election.

This correspondent spoke to nine key leaders from different parties, including the Jamaat and BNP, regarding the DUCSU results. They have various observations. At the same time, they also view the results of the DUCSU elections as a message for future politics.

BNP leaders see both their own weaknesses in the DUCSU election as well as the strategy of their opponents, the winners. They believe that Chhatra Shibir contested the election with adequate preparation, while Chhatra Dal fell short in that regard.

Chhatra Dal did not have the capacity to field a full panel in DUCSU or hall elections. During the past 15–16 years under Awami League rule, Chhatra Dal could not organise on campus. Shibir, on the other hand, remained on campus either by concealing their identity or by posing as Chhatra League members.

Many BNP leaders believe that Chhatra Shibir received support from the banned Chhatra League. Otherwise, they ask, how could it secure so many votes? Some also claim that a huge amount of money was spent in the election. However, BNP’s top leadership had already anticipated to some extent that Chhatra Dal would not perform well in the election.

It has been learned that at a standing committee meeting on Tuesday night, BNP leaders discussed the DUCSU election. There, the party’s top leadership was informed that Chhatra Dal was far behind in the contest.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “As far as I know, no organisation named Chhatra Shibir contested the DUCSU election. They took part under a different name or alliance. Now we have to analyse whether they won on their own capacity or with Chhatra League’s votes. Still, in this journey of democracy, we congratulate the winners.”

Meanwhile, the Jamaat leaders are quite delighted with the massive success of Chhatra Shibir 48 years after its foundation. The party’s leaders said they did not expect such a wide margin of votes between Chhatra Shibir and rival candidates. What surprised them most was the large number of votes Shibir received from female students. Jamaat leaders believe this result will certainly have an impact on the national election as well. In their view, the DUCSU election carries a warning and guidance for politicians that the old style of politics will no longer be acceptable.

Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told Prothom Alo, “The youth these days and student community are against unethical and destructive politics. They do not want the old style of political practice. They want constructive, merit-based, academic politics. They want a positive change in Bangladesh. We believe that in the DUCSU election, students have sent that very message to the political parties.”

Speaking to relevant persons, it has been learnt that Jamaat had put the DUCSU election on the top of its priority list and designed a plan accordingly. The party’s nayeb-e-amir was given the task of coordination. On the day of the election, several senior leaders of Jamaat, including secretary general Mia Golam Parwar, stayed at the party’s Dhaka city unit office in Purana Paltan till midnight and observed the election situation.

Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), raised allegations of administrative manipulations in this DUCSU election. However, respecting the students’ verdict, he told Prothom Alo, “We must consider the direction in which the post-mass uprising younger generation is moving in terms of their mindset and values before planning our future steps.”

Almost all political parties are calling this DUCSU election a peaceful and ‘remarkable’ election. For this reason, many believe that despite differences of opinion, everyone should move beyond past practices and congratulate the winners.

Speaking regarding this, Nagorik Oikko , “It cannot be said that the election was rigged or unfair. Everyone has to accept the result. Every party should do this.”

However, in this election, the youth, often referred to as ‘Gen Z’, have reflected their thoughts on politics and the state—something political parties, Mahmudur Rahman Manna believes, have not taken into account.

Many leaders of political parties believe that Chhatra Shibir’s overwhelming victory is the result of past repression against Jamaat and Shibir leaders and the fascist-style rule of the Awami League government. During its long tenure, the Awami League had banned Jamaat and Shibir, forcing them into covert operations. Seizing this opportunity, they strengthened their organisation both openly and secretly.  They even adopted a strategy to disguise themselves as the Chhatra League.

Zonayed Saki, the chief coordinator of the Ganosamhati Andolon, told Prothom Alo that the Awami League tried to politicise the Liberation War and rajakar issue. They used Jamaat to legitimise their fascist rule.

At that time, Jamaat was effectively a banned organisation. On one hand, they gained sympathy as the oppressed, and on the other, they developed experience in operating covertly. Now, they are benefiting from that experience.

The leaders of the Ganotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, formed by a faction of the Student Movement Against Discrimination who led the July uprising, also bagged very few votes. There are also talks as to why this happened.

Many are saying that over the past year, leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement faced criticism over certain statements and actions. In contrast, Chhatra Shibir stayed cautious and strategic. As a result, it has capitalised on the student base at Dhaka University, translating that advantage into a strong electoral outcome.

Islami Chhatra Andolon, student wing of Islami Andolon, also took part in the DUCSU election under the banner of Sacheton Shikkharthi Sangsad.

Gazi Ataur Rahman, senior joint secretary-general of Islami Andolan, told Prothom Alo, “This election has been a true reflection of the July spirit. We hope this winning streak continues.”

Maulana Mamunul Haque, ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, offered a different observation on Chhatra Dal’s poor performance.

He told Prothom Alo, “Chhatra Dal failed to capture the sentiment of the 2024 mass uprising. They came forward with the old rhetoric of the Chhatra League (pro- or anti-liberation war), but this generation doesn’t want to hear accusations of rajakars. They want constructive, merit-based politics. If Chhatra Dal cannot break away from this old pattern, it may become difficult for them to remain politically relevant in Bangladesh.”

Some politicians also see the DUCSU election result as a warning for future politics.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of BNP’s standing committee, said, “This election has given us an opportunity to be cautious about the path ahead. It also offered a chance to gauge the level of our confidence.”