DUCSU election: NCP has mixed reaction over Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad’s debacle

In the DUCSU election, the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) extended its support to the Boishamyabirodi Shikkarti Sangsad (Anti-Discrimination Student Council) panel backed by Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad. However, the panel suffered a crushing defeat at the polls. This has sparked varied reactions within the NCP, with party leaders trading blame over the debacle in DUCSU.

As the NCP is a youth-oriented party, many, including its own leaders, believed that the election results would serve as an indicator of the party’s standing and acceptance among students. For that reason, NCP leaders had been actively engaged in the run-up to the polls. But questions have now arisen as to how far this effort was reflected in the election outcome.

Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad is generally considered to be the student wing of NCP. The Boishamyabirodi Shikkarti Sangsad’s candidate for vice president in the DUCSU electionwas Abdul Kader, former coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement who came to prominence during the July mass uprising when he announced the nine-point demand.

The candidate for general secretary was another former front-line coordinator, Abu Bakar Majumdar. There is talk on campus that the two did not formally join the NCP because they intended to contest the DUCSU election. Over the past year, they had been engaged in a variety of campus activities in preparation for this election. Several of the other candidates on their panel were also familiar faces on campus.

In last Tuesday’s election, however, none of the candidates from the panel backed by Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad won any of the 28 posts in DUCSU. Kader secured only 1,103 votes for vice president, while Bakar received 2,131 votes for general secretary—both finishing in fifth place. For four of the secretary posts, candidates from the Boishamyabirodi Shikkarti Sangsad managed to come second, but in the remaining posts they could not even offer significant competition.

Speaking to Prothom Alo yesterday on condition of anonymity, a senior policymaker of the NCP said that before the DUCSU election, one of the key candidates of the Boishamyabirodi Shikkarti Sangsad had informed a top party leader that a certain influential group was undertaking various activities to sway the election. He had even shared details of specific incidents. Yet that leader made no effort whatsoever to prevent the group from exerting its influence on the polls.

Many within the party believe that the Boishamyabirodi Shikkarti Sangsad’s debacle in DUCSU has cast serious doubts on the NCP’s image in national politics. Party sources say that, in the wake of the results, one enraged leader has already submitted his resignation.

NCP’s secretary general Akhtar Hossain told Prothom Alo that there has been extensive discussion within the party about the DUCSU election results. “But no one has decided to resign over this; that is not the case,” he said.

He added that Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad is a newly formed student organisation and has not been able to establish a strong organisational base in such a short time. The effect of this was visible in the DUCSU election. However, this election is not their final goal. If their ideological and organisational foundations are strengthened, they are expected to perform well in the future. He does not believe that the DUCSU results will damage NCP’s political standing.

Regarding Chhatra Shibir’s sweeping victory in the DUCSU polls, the NCP leader commented, “The student wing organised its campaign and panel from a centrist, liberal standpoint, moving beyond traditional religious politics. By avoiding right-wing or religious rhetoric and campaigning from a moderate position, this approach played a significant role in their victory.”

NCP leaders are trying to understand why students did not place their trust in the panel of former coordinators from Boishamyabirodi Shikkharthi Sangsad. According to their assessment, divisions among the leaders of Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad over the panel had become visible, and students did not respond positively to this. They also see the inability to mobilise non-residential students (those not living in halls) as another major reason for the defeat.

Regarding the divisions within Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, NCP leaders note that five of the organisation’s leaders competed for the AGS post in DUCSU. Among them, Ashrefa Khatun ran from the Boishamyabirodi Shikkharthi Sangsad panel and received only 900 votes. For the same post, independent candidates included Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad leader Tahmid Al Muddassir Chowdhury, who received 3,008 votes; Hasibul Islam, 500; Ashiqur Rahman, 796; and Sanjana Afifa, 373—all of whom were defeated.

Additionally, for several secretary-level posts, leaders of Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad ran as “rebel” candidates. Some even resigned from the organization before the election and contested DUCSU and hall council positions under other panels.

According to NCP leaders, because of their roles in the July mass uprising, every leader of Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad considers themselves important. Many are also unwilling to follow the organisation’s decisions. This dynamic has influenced the outcome of the DUCSU election.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, two students who voted in this DUCSU election said that in recent times several controversies have surrounded some NCP leaders, including allegations of involvement in various irregularities. Recently, a few leaders of Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad faced extortion charges and some have even been arrested.

Additionally, several leaders of both NCP and Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad have engaged in disputes on social media with leaders and activists of opposing student organisations. Many observers feel that they spend more time quarreling than in productive work, continuing the usual politics of mudslinging.

When asked about the reasons for their rout in DUCSU, Boishamyabirodi Shikkharthi Sangsad’s GS candidate and central convener of Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, Abu Bakar Majumdar, told Prothom Alo yesterday: “In trying to include all participants of July, many people joined our ranks while concealing their identities. As a result, our organisation did not become strong. Many within our own ranks created divisions, which became visible. Our inability to strengthen the organisation made these divisions public. Failing to work in an organised way was also a major failure on our part.”