‘The election environment is completely fine’

The candidates campaigned with full enthusiasm and energy. The election environment was just as it should be, with no major deviations. Overall, the election environment was 100 per cent okay. Everything went smoothly. There were some minor complaints and counter-complaints of violating the code of conduct. We immediately issued show-cause notices, and the concerned candidates responded. After being cautioned, they assured that such incidents would not happen a second time.

This cannot be stopped abruptly. To stop it, a very specific complaint has to be sent to Meta (Facebook’s parent company). It then takes 15 days to a month for a decision to come from there. However, in one incident, a student was expelled from the university for six months.

We have submitted the specific complaints of cyber bullying we received, along with screenshots, in an application to the BTRC chairman. He assured us that these would be sent to Meta and action would be taken. The DMP’s cyber cell has also been informed. In addition, we have set up a cell ourselves to control cybercrime.

There is no security concern centering the DUCSU election at all. However, the students raised concerns regarding two issues. First, the voting has to take place outside the halls. We have taken that into account. Measures have been arranged so that students can cast their votes without any hindrance. In addition, the students said that the voting time should be eight hours (from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm). Even if someone is inside the polling centre’s premises at 4:00 pm, if it takes until 5:00 pm, we will ensure their right to vote.

In terms of security, our BNCC, Rovers, and Rangers will be present to manage the voters’ lines and at the polling centres. They will serve as the primary defence. The second layer is our proctorial body, and the third is our teachers. Beyond this, there shouldn’t be any need for additional security. These are our initial considerations. The police will also be present, but why would we use them against our own students? If we simply stand and tell the students, “Why are you causing a disturbance? This is your vote, remain calm,” then the police won’t be needed at all.

We had mentioned deploying the army as a striking force. Since the army is already in the field, we said that if the situation gets out of our control, we could call them in. This was meant to reassure the students. However, there was no actual contact with the army, and we didn’t inform the administration either. It was purely a statement, said for the sake of saying it. We believe that the police, Ansar, and other forces are sufficient for our purposes. Even then, we have instructed them to stay outside our designated boundaries. Inside, the BNCC-Rovers, the proctorial body, teachers, and the Election Commission are enough. Students wouldn’t start fighting defying their teachers.

Whenever the country has faced a crisis, the students of Dhaka University have come to the rescue. In 1952, 1969, 1971 [Bangladesh Liberation War], and the ’90s—all through history, students have played a pivotal role. Ultimately, even in 2024, they guided Bangladesh onto the right path. In this year’s DUCSU election, those contesting from various panels will contribute to building the nation’s future. We hope that DUCSU elections will be held every year in this way, cultivating leadership. The state of Bangladesh has repeatedly faced crises; if capable leadership is nurtured, such crises can be avoided.

Thank you too.